Protection
by ladyjulianna
Summary: Chapter 11! I know its been FOREVER like over a year sorries lots of stuff going on but its the 5th hells challenge unoffical title is fight me! RR peeps Ill finish thing yet! LOL
1. Protection

Hi everyone this is kinda a continuance of Loving, Saying, and Being as one. It's like three months or so after there they got married. This fanfic begged to be written it's a song fic but it's kinda scary. Those who are survivors it may be triggering. I dedicate this to all of us out there who never had a hero but needed one. The song at the end will be "I'll stand by you" by the Pretenders.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or the song I'm just borrowing um.  
~~~Protection~~~  
  
It was another just another day in the Warring States Era. The sun was casting colors across the open expanse of the sky at sunset. If one looked closely high in a tree above most others, they'd see a couple resting on a branch watching the solar journey's end for the day.   
  
Kagome wore Inuyasha's red outer shirt over her short skirt and shirtsleeve shirt as she rested against him. He held her gently around her arms and chest as she lay across his chest with her eyes closed and her head on his shoulder. Her sock-covered feet hung off the branch loosely as Inuyasha cradled her form. He rested against the thick trunk looking out over the land and sky watching the colors dance across the flooded rice patty fields. The two of them spent at least 3 evenings a week in a tree just as they are now to watch the sunset and feel connected in the quiet of the day. Inuyasha preferred only her company when he could manage it, but tolerated his friends most of the time also which he didn't mind putting up with really.  
  
But there they were now for the second night in a row, Kagome asleep in his arms and him, he remembered all over again how this woman became his mate and wife. He considered mate first and foremost it was all encompassing more so than just a wife. After they had gone thru the mating ceremony they had become one in two bodies. The peace of her sleeping filled Inuyasha's soul as her rested feelings trickled down thru there mated soul link. He drank it in like the finest wines as he did everyday now when she slipped into slumber in his arms.   
  
The last few months had brought drastic changes to their small group mainly between the two of them. They bickered some still but nothing was ever said that would hurt the other. Shippo had fallen right into a family with them and loved the way Inuyasha started treating him the night after they had become mates. The arguing between the two hadn't stopped but had taken a turn for a more respectful tone where Shippo was concerned and more patients on Inuyasha's end. But the two still bumped heads an awful lot and for the most part Kagome just assumed to stay out of it. The halfhearted arguments and the lack of 'sits' made the group a tad more boring but Miroku did keep it lively with his constant hentai behavior. But as soon as Kagome and the hanyou had mated Miroku was all hands off of the miko. He knew better than that, friend or not, you don't screw with a demon's mate any idiot, which he was, knew that.  
  
The next night after a day of shard hunting, the group had decided to stop near a small village where they could get supplies in the morning. They had stopped in the late afternoon wanting to rest up a bit. The shard hunting crew needed wood for a fire to cook on and warm up by that night.   
  
"All right, since you all seem like you are about to fall over, I'm gonna go get some wood for tonight. You'd think we hadn't rested in a week or something!" Inuyasha announced foreseeing the need. Kagome was sitting down resting her soar feet.  
  
"Hey Inu-chan before you run off, I'm gonna walk into the village and see if they have a bath I could use." Inuyasha stopped before he leapt off into the woods, and went over to his mate.  
  
"Don't go alone have Sango go with you." He looked over at the demon slayer who nodded. Inuyasha kissed her forehead. "Be careful," he told her with a hand on her cheek. He then bounded out into the forest. Kagome smiled to herself. Even though he was already out of sight she felt him near her like always. Even though he as not by her side physically he always left half of himself behind when they were apart. The miko rubbed her cheek where Inuyasha's hand had been and then turned to her friend.   
  
"Come on Sango, I need a bath!" Kagome turned to pick up her pack and started toward the nearby village. Sango brought along a change of clothes, towel, and a bar of soap for if they actually did find something. It only took them 10 minutes to wander into what they figured was the village center. The place was large enough to be called a town actually for they did have two Inns and a placemen went to drink. Kagome decided to try the Inn on the right to see if they had bathing facilities, Sango opted for the one on the left which was closer.  
  
They each headed toward the chosen inns. Sango entered the one and disappeared from view thru the door. Kagome began walking over to the other, which was across the square they had to pass a rowdy looking bunch of men who had just come out of the tavern. There were 10 of them 4 out weighting her by double at least. Kagome looked over her shoulder at where Sango had gone and then proceeded to walk around the group toward the Inn door. Kagome walked slowly afraid to go to fast and attract attention to herself. An odd feeling of foreboding began to make her feel like they needed to leave. Kagome stopped short.  
  
She decided it would be prudent to turn around and run to the other Inn where Sango had entered but as she turned around a large arm wrapped around her waist and the other around her mouth. She tried to scream but it was muffled into the large hand. The fear she felt was intense. She knew what they wanted and one thought shot thru her heart mind and soul, "INUYASHA!" The man that had her took her toward the other inn that had been her destination in the first place. Only instead of going in he moved down an alley between to buildings where only the moon lit the small passageway. She began to cry as she felt him shove her down to the ground. She took the opportunity to scream but the moment she opened her mouth she was slapped hard across the face sending pain shooting thru her head. She put her hand up to her face and realized he had struck her so hard he had made her bleed across her cheekbone. She heard him come nearer and stand over her.  
  
"If you try to scream again, you will not have any teeth left next time," a deep male voice said. He then kneeled and motioned his friends over to help him. Two more men knelt on either side of her grabbing her wrists and holding her to the ground. The one in front of her ran his hand up the side of her leg toward the hem of her skirt. She started to struggle and got tighter, bruising grips on her wrists and another smack across her already sore right cheek. She cried out sharply at the pain that threatened to make her pass out. Her head throbbed, her arms hurt, and she felt vaguely rough hands moving up her sides pushing up her top. All she could do was cry and retreat into her self. The feeling of the men around her became far removed from her mind as she moved the warmth of the connection that Inuyasha and her shared. She could also feel a mounting fury that was not her own. The miko knew that anger would fuel his transformation into a full demon. But in all her pain and terror she called out to that welcoming his wrath upon her assailants. They were about to steal the most precious gift she had shared with another. She couldn't fight her way out or cry out for help but she knew he was coming. She could feel him come nearer as their link became more prominent. The pain and the shock made consciousness hard to cling to but she knew if she could hang on it would be easier for her mate to feel their bond if she remained focused on him. She felt waves of love and worry flow thru the thread that bound their hearts and souls. She could suddenly feel him moving fast thru the town almost on top of where the men held her. She heard one of the men above her say "Wait a minute, She's got one of those demon threads!" The man on her right was referring to her silver necklace made of her mate's hair. They took the time then to look into her blank stare to see the golden flakes that showed in the light brown color of her iris.  
  
"She's a demon's bitch!" the larger man on her left yelled.   
  
"Oh shit," said the third who had been paying her the unwanted attentions. Before they could move they heard the unearthly howl of a demon at the end of the alley. There stood a demon with red eyes and violet pupils and streaks across his dog like face. The battered woman on the ground called to him in a whisper...  
  
"Inuyasha...."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
While Inuyasha had been wood the complete opposite way that Kagome had gone. He found himself rethinking his decision to let her go even with Sango. He knew she could probably take care of herself but these times were so much more dangerous than hers were. And he had had a bad feeling for the past few minutes. He guessed she would be at the village by now as he was picking up dried branches for the fire.   
  
He felt an unease slip into his consciousness thru his link with Kagome. He then felt it start to heighten as a minute passed. Her determination set into motion a decision that made her feel better slightly. He had barely started to relax when he felt her fear hit him like some one had punched him hard enough to take his breath away. He had dropped everything and started to run.   
  
As he ran toward the village he could feel her fear increase and he could taste her tears. His insides felt as though they were being torn apart by her terror. He pushed himself to the limits his body would go to get to her. The drive to save and protect her took over all of his thinking and actions. He felt nothing save what she did.   
  
When she was struck, and her pain filtered thru the bond, he was consumed by hatred and fear for his mate. His demon blood began to override his human side. The overwhelming need to protect HIS mate was an instinct deep than his human compassion for any bystanders or his reverence for life of others. His eyes started to take on a reddish hue and his demon instincts to protect took over.   
  
As he came to the edge of the town he felt her pain intensify and could smell her blood on the wind. She had been struck again he knew. This knowledge drew him deeper into his demon blood. His eyes were turning and streaks across his face were beginning to form. As he crossed the square he heard a man from the direction of where he could feel Kagome and smell her blood, say something about demon threads and he knew she was there. He stopped at the opening of the dead end alleyway between the two buildings. He then heard another man label her a bitch, which she in essence was with his being a dog demon. And a man sitting between two small legs curse. He mind had gone minutes ago and his conscience with it. The strained whisper of his mate sent him into a battle rage running toward the three men.  
  
They didn't have a chance. They quickly got to their feet and ran to the dead end not 5 feet from where they were, leaving Kagome lying on the ground. He was full demon now fueled by Kagome's pain and terror and the smell of her blood. The men huddled into a corner together knowing it was the end.  
  
"YOU DARE TOUCH HER!!! SHE IS MINE AND NOW YOU DIE!!! IRON REVER SOUL STEALER!!!" His claws come down over the men and they were sliced into pieces. Their body parts fell into a bloody pile in the corner of the alley. Inuyasha's chest heaved with exertion from running and then accosting her attackers. A sudden cry of pain and wave of relief made him turn to lay eyes on Kagome still lying where the men had left her. He stood there momentarily as his demon side faded away. She had seen everything and he was afraid of what she would do once she had time to think on what happened. But at this moment in time she needed him and he pushed everything aside and ran to her.   
  
Deep amber eyes met her light brown and gold speckled gaze as he kneeled beside her.  
  
"Kagome, love," he couldn't ask if she was ok or what happened for he knew the answer to both. She was on the verge of flying apart at the seems and collapsing in on herself all at once.   
  
"Inuyasha," came her pained cry as she reached for him. He quickly picked her up into his arms and tucked her against his body firmly.   
  
"Kagome, where's Sango?" he asked softly making sure there wasn't another female he needed to rescue before he bolted. Just then she appeared in the opening of the alley Inuyasha was headed towards.  
  
"What..." Inuyasha didn't give her a chance to finish.  
  
"Are you ok?" he asked in a gruff voice. Sango just nodded. "Get Kagome's bag and get back to camp now!" He barked the order but it was necessary no time for talking or explaining. The demon exterminator caught sight of the gruesome pile in the corner but didn't flinch. She assumed that is what was left of Kagome's attackers and did as she was told. Inuyasha turned and left. He was followed 3 paces back by Sango. Kagome finally gave up the last of her energy into leaning into her mate and let the blackness consume her. The pain faded away and only the warmth of Inuyasha's protective loving spirit wrapped around her soul was left. She let herself relax into the golden glow that resembled the color of his eyes. It was here that she slept as Inuyasha carried her back to their camp.  
  
Inuyasha felt her fall into a deep slumber covered in their connection. He let out a sigh as he walked. He looked down at her. "God's Kagome, what did those bastards do to you...." Upon entering the small passageway where he had found Kagome, he had smelled the men's excitement from what they were about to do. He now needed to look her over and see the full extent of the damage. He also knew a small stream ran near their campsite. He didn't want her waking up in the same clothes or condition she passed out in. He looked back at Sango. "Those men back there tired to...." he couldn't get the word out. "I need to bath her before she wakes, and I need your help."   
  
"Ok is there somewhere we can do this?" He nodded and headed to the right. It didn't take but another two minutes to reach the stream where he intended to clean his mate. He knew Sango could probably hold her for a second so he turned to her.   
  
"Can you hold her?" Inuyasha asked. Sango stepped forward taking Kagome into her arms. The girl was lighter than she thought she was going to be. "Turn please," he asked in a low voice. Sango did as he asked and he stripped then wrapped a towel around him. "Ok," he said the Sango and she turned to face him. He took kagome into his arms again. He noticed that she had begun to stir in Sango's arms but once back in his she quieted, slipping back into the golden warmth. He had felt her fear slightly when he had handed her off, which is why he completed this task so quickly. "I need you help to undress her."   
  
"Ok, you hold her and ill get the stuff of." Inuyasha nodded. He kneeled to where he could more easily maneuver her to allow her friend access.   
  
Finally with her cloths set in a pile on the shore Inuyasha eased him and her bodies into the cool water. It was slightly cool but not enough to shock one's body. He lowered her into the water that was waist deep for him and began to rinse her hair and pale form. Sango threw him a bar of soap, which he caught deftly in his claws making sure it didn't fly out of his grasp. He washed her carefully looking over her body in the late afternoon sun. As he washed the scent of the men off her he found her only real injuries were to her face and wrists, which he attended to gently. When he washed the blood from her face a small cry of pain nearly made his heart break. But he steeled his resolve and cleaned her thoroughly. He then threw the soap back to Sango. She didn't even attempt to catch knowing it would fall thru her hands. She threw him a bottle of Shampoo the miko was always using to wash her hair with. She decided not to bother with the conditioner since it didn't seem necessary at the moment. She would be clean and that was all Inuyasha wanted to do right now.   
  
He proceeded to wash her hair, rinse it and then stand up in the water bringing Kagome with him tucked against his chest. He moved out of the water and walked to Sango who was waiting with a towel for Kagome. He allowed the demon slayer top wrap the cloth around his mate and then deposited the girl back into Sango's arms to get dressed. Her sleep became disquieted again as he rushed to dry himself and put on his clothes. Sango got a good look at her friend as she helped Inuyasha put her clothes back on after she had given the miko back to him. Her wrists were showing signs of deep bruising that could use wrapping, and the girl's face looked as if it needed a bandage and ointment. Sango knew her face was probably going to be sore for a while but all in all she had gotten off lucky because Inuyasha has been able to feel her fear. But she knew it would take some time for the young woman to recover both physically and otherwise. The demon slayer looked at Inuyasha also. He could tell it was going to be a rough road for them for a while.  
  
After Kagome was dressed in a sweater and soft velvet pants, Inuyasha picked her up and headed back to camp. Sango gathered up everything that was lying around, shoving it into Kagome's pack. The hanyou's mind was on getting her back to camp and treating her ailments now. When he broke thru the brush Miroku, Shippo and Kirara jumped up to see why he was carrying Kagome. Sango ran in front of them to head them off especially a jump happy kit. She ran over and picked him up. Inuyasha walked over to where her sleeping bag had been laid out for her by Shippo and put her down on it. Unconsciously she held on to his shirt not wanting to loose the contact, but he uncoiled her fingers around his outer shirt and laid it at her side. Sango, who had Shippo in one arm, was already bringing Inuyasha the first aid kit.  
  
Inuyasha attended to her face first applying something he knew would keep it from getting infected and help it heal and then applied a square bandage to the cut. He then took each wrist and rubbed in a muscle/bruise healing cream and wrapped each on a bandage. He did all this very efficiently after watching her or nearly 2 and a half years he had picked up a few things. As Inuyasha tended his mate, Sango was left to explain what happened.  
"What happened to Lady Kagome?" Miroku asked worriedly.  
  
"Yeah Sango!" Shippo asked with tears in his eyes. "Mama-Kagome looks bad..." Kirara nuzzled into her leg as she sat down near the monk.   
  
"We were checking out the two Inn's in town to see which one had a bath we could use. I chose one and she chose the other and it wasn't very far away. But someone in-between where I left her and the other end she was attacked by some men..." she let the thought hang in the air unfinished. Miroku drew his own conclusion and Shippo just thought she was finished.   
  
"Is she gonna be ok, Sango?" Shippo asked in a small voice.   
  
"She just passed out Shippo; she'll wake soon. But you have to do something and remember to do it for a little while. You have to try your best for Mama-Kagome's sake ok?" Sango told him.  
  
"Ok what?"  
  
"Don't make any real fast moves at her ok? Make sure she knows your there and ask before you hug her can you do that?" Shippo nodded.  
  
"I can, but why?"   
  
"Shippo," Inuyasha called. He decided to explain it to their adopted pup. Shippo came running to Inuyasha and bounced up on his shoulder. "Pup," he started with a glance at him and a pat on his head. "Mama-Kagome isn't gonna be feeling good for a while. Those men hurt her and she is gonna need you to do those things ok?" Shippo looked down and then hugged Inuyasha. The hanyou hugged him back. He didn't hug their pup often but he did when he knew he needed it and Kagome was unavailable. "She'll be all right runt;" he used the name as an endearment now. Shippo harrumphed playfully and jumped off his shoulder and ran to sit in Sango's lap to stay out of the way. Inuyasha gave the houshi a glare.  
  
"Monk, lay off you lechery until she is better if you scare her you will regret it."  
  
"Think no more about it my hands will behave till you tell me I swear on my father's grave!" Inuyasha nodded satisfied. In fact he knew no one would be touching her save her family and their group for a long while. He sighed wanting to blame himself for what happened, and wanting to blame Sango for leaving her alone but he knew by the look of the men there would have been more to take her down too if she had been there also. She was a good fighter but with no weapons and several opponents stronger than you, she was bound to go down just like Kagome did. The hanyou shuttered.   
  
Miroku took the initiative and went to go get fire wood. He wasn't gone long and in the time he had been the camp had become quiet. Inuyasha had pulled Kagome back in his lap as he was sitting against a tree holding her close. His eyes were closed as he rested concentrating on his mate sending love and healing thru their link. In extreme conditions demons could transfer more healing powers to their mates thru the mated link even more than the blood sharing. He was in a light doze working to heal his mate when he heard the fire crackle to life. Shippo in the mean time had decided to nap in Sango's lap accompanied by Kirara.   
  
Sango made soup for dinner that night but guessed Inuyasha and Kagome would not be eating. She made sure Shippo ate and fed Kirara and Miroku also. For the most part Miroku and Sango had been chatting between themselves leaving the couple alone. As the sunset and night crept in on the camp a wind began to blow bring in cool air from the north. Sango got up after Miroku and Shippo had gone to lay down taking Kirara also, and picked up Kagome's sleeping back and set if over the mated pair. Inuyasha heard her approach and felt the weight of the blanket being put on top of them.  
  
"Thanks Sango," he whispered. The demon slayer's hand came to rest on his shoulder. He opened his eyes.  
  
"No problem." She looked at him a minute. "It's gonna be a long haul, Inuyasha." He nodded.  
  
"I can feel the turmoil set-aside in her mind at the moment. Right now she is sleeping to deep in our connection to feel pain of any kind." Sango was slightly relieved her friend was sleeping peacefully for the time being at least.  
  
"Just remember she has to deal with it all to without relying on your link to hide from it." Inuyasha looked down. "What's wrong?" Sango asked.  
  
"I turned full demon when I felt her in danger, and she saw me slaughter those men." Sango sighed.  
  
"And your worried about what she'll do?" Inuyasha nodded. "If it hadn't had been her it would have been another poor woman who didn't have a good a protector as you. Just wait and don't worry, they deserve what they got," she told him. But Inuyasha was very unconvinced. He just nodded to appease her. She knew he didn't believe her. When he went full demon, she knew it bothered him. But he hadn't done that since they had become mates. He was frightened that after this incident he might frighten her much to stay with him. He thought on it a moment longer then turned back to Sango.  
  
"We leave in the morning, early." Sango agreed and then went to pull out her blankets and then slide into her bedroll.   
  
Morning came early for the hanyou but he was almost always up before anyone. Kagome had slept in his arm all night without any problems. For that he was thankful. He slowly shifted and pushed the sleeping back out on to the ground with is feet. This morning he knew she was going to need to eat and he could also feel her beginning to come towards consciousness. He placed her on to the blanketed ground and covered her with a blanket. He got up to search her pack for something to eat. He was half way thru her pack when he heard her scream. He jumped up and looked about seeing no danger he ran to her.   
  
"NO NO!! INUYASHA!!" she screamed why she started to cry. She was awake but had come out of a nightmare into reality. As soon as Inuyasha had left her side her mind had slipped into disturbing dreams. The loss of his touch, and coming back into the real world again provoked the onslaught. He was at her side in an instant pulling her into his arms. She fought him with all her strength still lost in a dream but just as soon as she started yelling she stopped once she was laying against Inuyasha. Kagome relaxed and opened her eyes to find worried amber ones looking back. She threw her arms around his neck and snuggled the unhurt side of her face into his shoulder. Her yelling had woken up the others but seeing Inuyasha holding Kagome they turned over and went back to sleep giving them some privacy. He held on to Kagome stroking her hair as she started crying.  
  
"Hey, hey, It's ok love. I'm here." He looked around and quickly picked her up seeing the need for privacy. He knew she would probably need to cry for a while and then talk. He had felt all of her unsettled thoughts coming to the surface as she began to come awake that morning. His healing powers that she had gotten from the blood sharing, and his extra effort thru their bond could only heal the wounds that were physical. The other would be slow process. He leapt off into the forest with her in his arms and found a tree to sit against a minute or two into the wood He sat down under its canopy and leaned into the trunk. She had kept crying thru the run into the trees and was now tucked safely against him still shedding her tears. Thru the mated soul-bond, Inuyasha felt an outpouring of sadness, fear, shame, guilt, and incredible hurt inside. He could also feel to his somewhat relief that her injuries hurt her less and that her open cut had been completely healed over. She still looked quite bruised under her eye all the way to her jaw and her wrists were still purple and blue under the bandages. He sighed and held her close. Her tears were subsiding and he knew it was time for her to talk about what happened. He didn't know how but hoped that the intuition guiding him would help heal his mate's mind and heart.   
  
Oh, why you look so sad,   
The tears are in your eyes,   
Come on and come to me now.   
And don't be ashamed to cry,   
Let me see you through,   
'Cause I've seen the dark side too.   
When the night falls on you,   
You don't know what to do,   
Nothing you confess   
Could make me love you less.   
I'll stand by you,   
I'll stand by you,   
Won't let nobody hurt you,   
I'll stand by you.   
  
"Kagome," he said gently. She knew what he wanted and she just didn't want to face it yet. She shook her head. "Kagome, talk to me." It was then she pushed away from him and got to her feet unsteadily and walked a few paces away.   
  
"NO! No, I can't not right now." Inuyasha knew she was about the burst but just didn't want to open her self up to the chaos that awaited her once she let it out. The hanyou got up but didn't go to her. He knew this was a decision she was going to have to make.  
  
"Kagome, Love. I know your hurting. I feel it tearing you up inside. Remember I feel what you do. Everything in you is telling you to let it go. Mate, you look so lost. Come here to me," he held open his arms. "Let me help you thru this. No matter what happens I'll be here to catch you and keep you safe. The people who tried to hurt you are gone. Come talk to me. Let it go and let me take some of that pain. There is nothing in this world that could make me love you any less. Tell me what's going on inside. Let me hold you, for our bond is stronger than anything that has happened." Kagome stood there listening to his speech. His words touched her deep in her soul and his love cascaded down their link like a warm waterfall. Something in side her broke. All the walls that had been holding the memories and uncontrollable emotions pent up broke under the weight of her mates love and concern. Her cries became desperate as she turned to him. He had her in his warm embrace quicker than her knees could collapse under her.   
  
It felt like her who world had caved in on top of her bringing an never ending wave of darkness thru the unbridled feelings that swept thru her consciousness. He pulled her back into his lap and sat back against the tree as he listened to her pained cries muffle in his outer shirt. He let her take the time to gather herself, which took several minutes to get some semblance of control back.   
  
"Oh Inuyasha," she cried thru her tears. "I was just going to that other Inn when they came out of the tavern! There were so many...." Her weeping claimed her energies another moment till she could repress them long enough to talk again. Inuyasha rubbed her back but stayed silent letting her go at her own pace. "I was going to turn around and go get Sango but they got me from behind and dragged me into that awful alley! I tried to scream but that was when he hit me," she remembered as her hand came up to her cheek. Inuyasha caught it.  
  
"It's ok love. I took care of it. Plus with our combined healing it shouldn't hurt so badly." She nodded and he continued to hold onto her hand.  
  
"They then held me down and I tried to get loose but he hit me again and it was all I could do to keep awake and think of you. I knew you were coming. I felt you changing. And I was so scared that man was going to take what we shared away. I didn't want him to do that to me. I felt so guilty for not leaving faster. I can't believe that almost happened to me. He almost...and I can't believe....and I felt his hands...I felt like I was betraying you...like I was a disgrace..." Inuyasha took her shoulders into his hands gently and pulled her up.  
  
"NO! This is not your fault!! Don't you dare believe that! Your are good and blameless in this. You have NOTHING to be guilty or ashamed about! It was only those bastards' fault for doing that! And now they are gone. I won't let anything hurt you ever again. I am always here for you. PLEASE, please don't think it's your fault. God's be damned assholes! I wish I could have killed them again!" Kagome looked into his eyes and felt his protective love and sincerity wash over her and believed him and tried to wrap her mind around the idea it wasn't her fault. She also felt his anger rising similar to when she was being attacked but on a smaller degree. That anger was for her, and she appreciated that more than words could express. She knew he had become full demon in her distress not knowing what would be waiting for him. But she didn't care because, she knew it was to save her. She suddenly felt a bit of worry and shame from her mate that made her focus on him instead of tornado of feelings in herself.   
  
"Inuyasha what is it?" Kagome asked him as he pulled her against his chest.   
  
So, if you're mad, get mad;   
Don't hold it all inside,   
Come on and talk to me now.   
And hey,   
What you got to hide?   
I get angry too,   
Well, I'm a lot like you.   
When you're standing at the crossroads   
And don't know which path to choose,   
Let me come along,   
'Cause even if you're wrong,   
I'll stand by you,   
I'll stand by you,   
Won't let nobody hurt you.   
I'll stand by you,   
Take me in into your darkest hour,   
And I'll never desert you,   
I'll stand by you.   
  
"Kagome, I...I couldn't control my demon side when I felt you were in danger. I was so angry it took completely over. I'm sorry. I know that I probably scare you now,..." Kagome jerked up from his chest and looked him in the eyes.   
  
"Don't you even be sorry! That anger saved my life! I don't care if your demon half or human! They are all apart of you there for apart of me. You shouldn't have to hide that side, Inuyasha. I could never be afraid of you. Don't try to stop that anger when it comes. I can't deny I didn't want them dead. I felt you changing and I welcomed your wrath on them. They were gonna hurt me...."she said with tears in her eyes.   
  
"Shhh. It's ok mate. I'm here. I'll always protect you."   
  
"And I don't care even if you turn full demon; I'd still be here. I'm not going anywhere, Inuyasha, love."  
  
"I could maybe have done something not so gory once I saw they were only stupid humans....But when I saw you there and could feel your pain, nothing else mattered except killing those bastards who were hurting MY mate!" Every time he thought on it he got angry. It made him wish he could kill them all over again, only slowly.  
  
"I don't care if you had options you did what you thought was right. And whatever the consequences I'll be by your side always. If they wonder why there is a pile of gore in that alley let them ask Sango or me. No matter what happens, there is nothing that anyone could do to make me leave you. I said 'I do' and became apart with all of you no just the parts that are gentle and loving, but the demon side who is fierce and wild too. All of you Inuyasha, I mean that with all my heart." Inuyasha pulled her into a tight hug and buried her face in her long ebony hair. Her scent calmed him. He leaned back and she moved herself to straddle his hips and lay against his chest suddenly tired and drained. He wrapped his arm around her and leaned his head against the tree.   
  
And when, when the night falls on you, baby,   
You're feeling all alone,   
You won't be on your own.   
I'll stand by you,   
I'll stand by you,   
Won't let nobody hurt you.   
I'll stand by you,   
Take me in into your darkest hour,   
And I'll never desert you.   
I'll stand by you.   
Kagome's mood began to shift with lack of distraction and he kissed her forehead. She let the tears fall down her cheeks. She felt loved and safe but she still hurt inside from the previous day's events, and she felt scared. Burrowing deeper into his embrace she shook slightly. Inuyasha nuzzled the top of her head with his cheek. Kagome looked up at him suddenly searching for reassurance and something more. "I'm here love, I will always be. No one will hurt you any more." She surprised herself when she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Inuyasha wasn't however having felt an underlining passion brewing. She had feared that what had happened would have killed all of her passionate feelings for the physical love they shared. But suddenly she needed him, all of him to be one with her. He suspected it was her soul and hearts way of needing to be mended. So he let her kiss him wrapping her arms around him returning what she gave.   
  
"Inuyasha, I'm not sure if I can do this..." He looked deeply into her eyes.  
  
"Love, I'm not going to hurt you ever. I'd die first. Do what you want to, and I'll return what ever you can give." Kagome kissed him again. She suddenly felt safe wrapped in his arms surrounded by the warm glow of his protecting love. She craved the sanctuary they're coupling provided them. The pure raw unrestrained emotions of being completely one with her mate.   
  
Inuyasha pulled them both to their knees and pulled his outer shirt off and laid it on the ground. Inuyasha lay down on his shirt and pulled her down next to him. He looked at her and saw tears in her eyes. "Kagome," he caressed her cheek. "Are you sure? Are you getting scared?"   
  
"Inuyasha, I am more sure that anything in the world. I want you to love me like you always have drowned out the memories. Make me forget the pain and his touch by loving me." Tears fell down her face as Inuyasha took hold of her.   
  
"I do love you my Kagome. And now I'll show you also," He turned over and kissed her with gentle passion slowly deepening the kissing as he let her. Their bodies became intertwined as their desire rose.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kagome laid wrapped in his outer red shirt straddling his hips nestled against his chest. Inuyasha sat against a tree, sporting pants, with her lying on top of him, his arms draped around her waist and his cheek was resting against the top of her head. The miko was in a deep slumber while her mate lightly dozed taking in every sound and smell around them. Kagome sat in a haze of amber waves that consumed her frazzled state of being and healed her soul and heart after being one with Inuyasha. He heard rustling coming thru the underbrush from the direction of camp. His eyes popped open in time to see the other four members of their group walking towards them. He tightened his grip on Kagome and looked down to make sure she was covered, which she was. They finally caught sight of the two resting and Sango turned and told Miroku something and then she approached alone, handing Shippo to the monk.   
  
Sango walked up softly to Inuyasha's side looking strait at him. She kneeled next to him. "Is everything ok?" she asked in a bare whisper.  
  
"I think she'll be ok eventually," he sighed in a similar volume to the demon slayer's voice. "But she's on the right track." Sango smiled at her.  
  
"Inuyasha, I think she'll be fine too. She couldn't have asked for a better mate to be by her side thru it." Inuyasha just looked at her a moment. She just smiled and got up and left taking the others with her to fill them in. Inuyasha looked in the direction Sango had walked for a few minutes. He finally smiled thanking her in her mind. He decided he wasn't ready to get up yet or willing to wake Kagome, so he just wrapped his arms more firmly around her and closed his eyes and fell back into a light nap focusing again on healing his mates body, mind, heart, and soul.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`  
  
Well, that' it hope you enjoyed it. Please R+R and tell me if you want me to continue you this story cuz I probably could if I had enough incentive ;). Well till laters, LJ 


	2. Unwelcome visit

Hi everyone I guess I'm continuing cuz I left some loose ends in my first story. So I'm gonna make them meet up with Kouga next. This ain't gonna be pretty specially with what just happened to Kagome. So get ready for a very big up set angst up the ying yang. I hadn't thought about Kouga till one of my lovely readers : Kenkaya brought to my attention ^_^ thanking you! glad you liked it. If anyone has and suggestions don't hesitate to review or EM me. Always can use an extra set of eyes on my work plus fresh ideas, loose ends, or things I forgot. And to my other readers:  
  
sunshine star: thank you glad you liked it!  
  
kiya1821: yes sad happens way to often in the real world. Needed Inu to come to the rescue.  
  
Forbitten: glad you liked it here is more LOL  
  
Gary Thunder: OK OK OK I be's continuing.  
  
Paws: glad you like the first story. More to come so keep you shirt on LOL. I felt some who wrote about this didn't handle it that well I thought I better write something that's somewhat closer to the truth.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing but I do like writing so I am borrowing Inuyasha.   
  
~~~~An unwelcome visit~~~~~  
  
It was a week after Kagome had been attacked by the men in the other village and 6 days since they had gotten back to their own village. Kagome had not taken the day of traveling well. She had slept most of the day on Inuyasha's back and when she was awake she was quiet and withdrawn. When they had gotten to Keade's house, which they all considered their home of sorts, Inuyasha and her had spent most of the next two days in their room to themselves. Kagome refused to leave the safety of the house and Inuyasha refused to leave her side. That had left Sango to do the hunting for the group.   
  
Now that Kagome had come out of shock and into the minefield of her mind that seemed to always be being set off, they could hear her crying out at night several times. The deep warm sleep that had consumed her the first night was to protect her fragile state. It had been Inuyasha allowing their connection to cradle her mind in that first night. But he knew that if he allowed her to become dependant on that escape that she would never learn to work thru it herself. It was a fine line between protecting and healing with Kagome. For the most part he let her lead the way, staying in doors, needing him near, and so on. They were all steps along the way.   
  
On the fourth day with some cajoling from her mate, Kagome finally stepped out of the house to get some fresh air. Her wounds were completely healed and he figured it was time she had some got out. She had been out the door not even two minutes holding on to Inuyasha's hand fairly relaxed when she heard 3 men's voices coming up the walk from the village. She had begun to panic suddenly and tried to bolt inside the house when Inuyasha caught her up in his arms and pulled her to him. She had cried out to be let go and he refused to let her retreat with fear. He just wanted her to stay outside the door for long enough to let the men pass by to show her not every male that wasn't him or Miroku was out to get her. She had thrown herself onto his chest and clung to him for dear life. He had held her close and let her cry unrestrained on his shirt. He let her cry as much as she needed but there were certain steps she had to take albeit unwillingly but necessary to just even function again. There had been a huge fight after he had let her go inside. He felt her anger born of her fear and not understanding why he had made her stay. He let her vent her anger throwing back his own frustrations more along the lines of her not ever giving up or giving in. He let her be angry and he fueled the furnace knowing that she would find strength and distraction in her anger with him. Suddenly the next day she had a strong desire to prove she could stand out side with out running inside even though she was scared to death. Again she clung to him as a single male from the village ran past her that after noon. She had cried in his red shirt for almost an hour before she got a hold of her self but refused to go in. When they went in to the house for dinner, Inuyasha held her and told her how proud he was of her that day. She soaked in the loving praise from her safe perch on his lap, as his love washed over her thru their connection.  
  
The fifth day she had ventured as far as the well and back clinging to Inuyasha ever step of the way but yet again refusing to run back to the hut when she saw a man pass her. Kagome had had a few scares on the way there and back but Inuyasha had patiently held her thru each panic letting her feel she was safe holding her close. He, also, had continually day and night continued to wrap his protective spirit around her inside and out keeping strong. There seemed to always be fear there that was slowly dissipating especially when their family in the house just sitting there surrounded them. He could feel brief moments when he felt her calmness returning to her. They were rare maybe once or twice a day but he knew those would lengthen and grow in frequency as time passed between them and the altercation.  
  
It was now the sixth day, and Kagome was up at a decent hour for a change and dressed because she had finally slept thru a night. Inuyasha had allowed her that night to sleep deeply in their connection as he had noticed the day before she was becoming so tired toward the evening she could hardly stand. He was afraid with the lack of rest she would get sick, which according to Keade did happen to other women who had had that happen to them. That night he had when he bathed her in the warm glow where their deepest and most intense feelings for each other rested and pooled. He had carried her unknowingly into Keade's room late that night to talk to her.   
  
Keade was wise in many things Inuyasha knew and worldly at that having lived so long and seeing many thing. He asked her advice on situation and told Inuyasha he was doing very well with the rattled woman. The older woman had seen many girls thrown into deep sickness because of something similar or worse. But she knew it was a special case with these two seeing as how they were linked. She had told him to allow her to sleep deeply at least once a week until her mind began letting itself sleep in longer intervals by itself. If he didn't she could become overly tired and revert back into the darkness and become ill. Inuyasha had taken this counsel seriously and did as he what he thought was best for her. It turned out now on this morning she was up and rested he felt a sparkle of her old self coming thru.  
  
Breakfast was uneventful and the group talked of inconsequence things that and kept the chatter light. Shippo throughout this time had run about the house depending mostly on Sango and Miroku to look after him. It had been discussed already that they would take over his main care until Kagome got a better handle on the whole thing. They knew it could take awhile but they happily took over the kit's care for their healing friend.   
  
After breakfast Kagome had decided to actually venture towards the village square. She was scared to death but needed to know she could half way attempt such a normal thing once again. She clung to Inuyasha slowly acclimating to the fact there were men about. In groups or on there own. Just to be in a setting of a jumble of people made her nervous. Inuyasha sent reassuring calming feelings thru their link in response to her rising fear. It seemed to keep the edge off her terror enough to function in such a setting. He figured that given another week she might be able to walk around with out a death grip on his arm. She kept herself pressed in against his side as they walked thru the small village. As they walked she loosened her grip on his arm slightly gaining confidence. The just spent the day walking about and even picking a few things out of the fields to snack on while they strolled about the village as if getting reacquainted with the lay out. He even managed to get her to laugh a little while they were about. There was a small sparkle in her eyes that had been missing the last week. A small part of what she was before was coming back to her. And Inuyasha was very proud of his mate.  
  
They day turned into another night and they walked back in time for supper to be served to them by Sango who had taken up quite a womanly role in the house since Kagome had been consumed with just making it day to day. Sango received a grateful smile and the two hungry mates ate hungrily after their exercise all day. Shippo then walked over to Kagome and asked if he could sit in her lap. She grabbed him and hugged him to her, telling him he was a good pup and thanking him for being so good. Dinner was over quickly and Kagome was exhausted enough to go strait to bed. Inuyasha was always behind her like a shadow just letting her go about and do what ever she wanted and her mate being there allowed her to start doing things on her own. Knowing he was a half step behind her all the time began to lend her the strength to take charge of what was going on with the safety of his back up. She went into their room in the back followed of course by Inuyasha and after they were both in she heard the door shut softly. Kagome shed her garments and was about to get into her pajamas when two strong arms wrapped around her nude form pulling her to a familiar body she knew well. It was impossible for Inuyasha to sneak up on her or for her not to know he was going to reach out to her. Right before he did every time she felt tug at the soul bond between them in anticipation of physical contact. She turned in his arms and looked up into his face her eyes seemingly calm. He smiled at her. "Your eyes are so beautiful," he told her.  
  
"And your my hero," she answered his compliment. Since they had become soul bonded they compliments they shared came without blushing. They kissed lightly at first then turned deeper with more passion as they stood there. Inuyasha made short work of his clothes throwing them off at will. He laid them in their bed of firs and let Kagome take the reigns to lead their intimacy to wherever her heart and soul wanted it to go. The healing love that they made began to replace the terror and fear she had felt with the love and safety it was meant to have. They were washed into a sea of passion as they became one and peaked in a tidal wave of pleasure and emotion that rivaled the power of the very sun. In the end they collapsed into each other's arms floating in golden warmth.  
  
That night Inuyasha let the connection recede enough to let her sleep on her own letting her mind sort out the current events in her sleep. He waited for an hour until he was sure she would be ok for the time being to catch a little sleep. To his surprise he didn't hear any distressing sounds from her until just before sunrise. It had been a record on her own he thought. She was lying on top of him and he tightened his hold on her kissing her forehead. He then began to whisper loving nonsense of safety and love in her ear as she called to him from her dream. A few minutes later this calmed her back into a peaceful sleep. He sighed wishing once again he could kill the men who had hurt his mate slowly and painfully for the millionth time. He had no Idea that these tragedies had so many far reaching percussions. He was also glad that she still trusted him just like she had before. The feelings between them are the only thing that seemed unchanged if not stronger. 'I think she takes strength in that' he thought and dozed back off to sleep.   
  
It was now going passed a week of the attack and Kagome seemed to be coming out of her shell steadily. By the eighth day she even ventured to sit next to Miroku at dinner with Inuyasha on her right side of course. Sango and Miroku had taken a to spending time with just each other the last week. Without Miroku's perverted behavior, Sango was having no trouble becoming closer to the monk. The monk had restrained himself with great effort especially not to touch Kagome. He knew if they walked in on Sango screaming and hitting him Kagome might back track in her fragilely won sanity. So even now as he sat next to both women he found that the quiet company lacking the pain of a smack and them feeling comfortable with him made it worth the great effort. Shippo was sitting next to Kagome's feet subdued in her company as he had promised to be. Most of the day he ran outside with Kirara and joined his adopted parents on their walks in spurts. Shippo already thinking of the whole group as his family was taking the situation well. Even Inuyasha had told him he was being a good pup.   
  
Slowly over two weeks time Kagome was returning to her old self. She would always have that in her past but her carefree happy personality was beginning to come forth. They guessed it would happen eventually. She was too strong for this to suppress who she really was for forever. She even moved about the house by herself now with out Inuyasha shadowing her every move. This action brought Inuyasha a semblance of peace. But when they went to bath in the Hot Springs Inuyasha went with Sango and Kagome. He had to actually be in the water beside her before she would begin to bathe at first but now she felt semi comfortable just letting him sit at the edge of the water and watch her. She began to actually enjoy their bathing time again having splashing fights with Sango and such. Sango herself had felt odd at first knowing Inuyasha would be in the same pool with her and Kagome nude also and then end up watching them from the shore. But he eventually to her became just a silent guard at the side of the water whose eyes never wavered from Kagome; therefore she adjusted to the onlooker. And Miroku behaved himself very well also not once even leaving the hut when they went to the hot springs.   
  
It was just barely two weeks, after the attack, when something unforeseen happened. A certain demon got wind of how close Inuyasha and Kagome were acting the last few months and then his spies caught a glimpse of her eyes and had reported that back to him as well. But news had been slow traveling to him and he had heard of this only the week before and took a week to travel to the village Inuyasha resided at currently.   
  
Just after breakfast Kagome was out side again as she had been everyday now. She enjoyed rediscovering her freedom and self. She even managed to not have to cling to him when they were right out side the hut. There were times she came running to him like a scared child but those times were beginning to become fewer. She had even taken back over care of Shippo with all his energy and running and jumping into her. The first time he began to jump at her again Inuyasha about came unglued but he felt no fear coming from his mate so he let it go finding that children around her didn't frighten her at all. The healing work she had done in such a short time had been nothing short of a miracle. But he knew that the peace he felt growing inside her was fragile and everything could easily be undone if something happened to her again. Which is why outside the door of that hut he was no more than three feet from her. She noticed this imaginary line she couldn't cross with out him moving closer to her. It made her feel secure knowing he was there but a little miffed, as she wanted to try out her independence again. But over the last two weeks Inuyasha had been gradually leading her out of her tragedy and noticed he had a better handle on the bigger picture that she did. So once in a while she would look at him and harrumph good-naturedly at him and continue on what she was doing.  
~~~~~  
The demon was now closing in on the village deep inside of something that resembled a tornado. He ran as fast as he could the jewel shards in his legs increasing his speed ten fold. It was Kouga and he was angry. He could smell 'HIS' woman not far off along with that half breed that protected her. But what fueled his anger as that he smelled their scents mixed. He could tell she was wearing a demon thread. He let out a loud howl of anger as he narrowed in on Kagome's location. He broke thru the tree line to find Inuyasha grabbing Kagome and the fox child and running for a nearby hut.  
~~~~~  
Kagome was playing a game of catch with Shippo in a clearing near the village waiting for some of the other kids for him to play with. He had been board and asked her to play with him and of course being the good mom she was turning out to be she did so happily. Inuyasha leaned against a near by tree watching his mate smile and laugh. He even had a mind to join in but something stopped him short. He could smell someone, someone who had the power to send Kagome hurtling back into shell if he came and took her or scared her. Never mind him touching her Inuyasha was not gonna let that happen. He ran quickly and grabbed Kagome's hand Shippo's also leaving the ball on the ground. Just as he turned to run he heard the wolf demons loud cry and made a dash for the hut. They almost made it when Kouga cut off their retreat 10 yards from the house. He pulled up short shoving Kagome and Shippo behind him. Finally seeing whom it was Kagome let out a frightened cry. Inuyasha cursed softly under his breath, "shit."  
  
"DOG TURD! YOU DEFILED MY WOMAN I CAN SMELL IT! I WILL HAVE HER NOW!!" Kouga roared toward the trio. Kagome had begun from being scared to full fledge terror in nothing flat. Inuyasha wanted to turn around and comfort her and ease her fear but his concern now was her physical safety and keeping him off of her no matter what.  
  
"YOU ASSHOLE! SHE IS MY MATE AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE HER! Leave my family be wolf!" Inuyasha yelled back at him. Kouga was in seeing red. Inuyasha didn't have time for this he knew. Kagome was about to bolt he could feel her getting ready to flee. The wolf demon scaring her half to death was pissing him off to no end. Inuyasha could feel his anger rising quickly.   
  
"Half-breed I will have MY woman! You can not deny me even if you have blood bonded with the bitch it can be undone by your death!" Kouga charged Inuyasha who already had his sword ready. Kouga came down hard at Inuyasha with his claws spread but the sword made contact with them and deflected the blow. But Inuyasha had had to step back to take the force of the impact.   
  
As Kouga came down at Inuyasha Kagome screeched loudly and sprang into a run going out from behind Inuyasha to the right. Just before she did her mate tried to warn her but she hadn't heard his words thru her desperate fear. His fear for her jumped a hundred fold. Kouga landed hard on the ground after Inuyasha had deflected his blow. And had been thrown back with stunning force when Kagome screamed. As the panic-stricken girl ran off Kouga saw his chance to snatch her up and run off. Inuyasha saw this also and ran after her. Shippo had jumped on and clung to seeing his chance ran for the hut making it into the door and slamming it.   
  
Kagome ran to where she didn't know but her adrenaline and fear pushed her to do something stupid. AT that point in time she didn't care as long as she could escape the man who was after her. Kouga and Inuyasha were both after her and both were closing in.   
  
"DON'T TOUCH HER BASTARD!!!" Inuyasha yelled his last warning. Kouga's arm was out stretched moving the direction of her right arm. That was it all conscious thought focused into protecting his mate and his human blood ebbed into nothing against the strong surge of his demon side. His eyes turned red and the streaks formed on his face in a matter of seconds. Kouga's hand was inches from his soul and he brought the sword up and brought it down slicing the offending limb clean off. The wolf demon howled in pain and fell into the dirt where as kagome kept running. After the cry of pain it had encouraged her to keep running. The fear seemed to cut out all reasonable thought and the connection that they shared was there but she couldn't sense how close he was be She dared to look back a split second and missed seeing a tree route and began to fall. She covered her head with her arms as she went flying thru the air from the speed she was going preparing for a painful impact..... which never came.  
  
Inuyasha had seen what was going to happen and his increased demon powers allowed him to go fast enough to catch her mid air and then skid to a stop. He had her wrapped in his arms tightly pulled against his frame securely. The woman in his arms unraveled herself from her arms and looked up confused but unharmed. She knew who it was who had saved her when she felt him go full youkia she finally felt he was right behind her. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her head deep in his chest crying desperately. With gentleness he had not know he possessed in demon form he stroked her back and held on to her in his arms. He carried her back toward the hut but stopped after walking about 20 steps. Kagome began to lift her head up to see why he stopped when his hand cradled the back of her neck keeping her gaze towards his chest. She didn't know why but she knew there was something there he didn't want her to see. So she closed her eyes and snuggled back into his shirt. Kagome suddenly heard a familiar voice and jumped stiffening and strengthening her hold on her mate.   
  
Kouga was lying on the ground right in front of where he stopped holding his injured arm. Just as Inuyasha came to a stop he began to yell at him. "You fucking dog terd!" he groaned/yelled. His voice has scared Kagome and Inuyasha let out a low growl keeping a firm grip on her. He was still full demon and ready to kill. He took the chance to kick Kouga in the face to shut him up, with out even jostling his mate. Kouga finally got a good look at the demon standing above him. The sight of the new Inuyasha jarred him. His scent had changed, and he no longer smelled his human blood. He knew he was in trouble.  
  
"Listen asshole," Inuyasha's tone was calm and even for Kagome's sake but dripping with killing intent. "You WILL leave her alone. If you scare her again, I will kill you. Do not come after her again. She is mine." He used the only words the wolf demon would understand. Kagome didn't seem fazed by his possessiveness. But she still clung to his shirt for dear life. Kouga was about to open his mouth but Inuyasha beat him to it. "If you speak again I will be sorely tempted to finish you now." Kouga kept his mouth shut. "We will come for the jewel shards another time and when we do you will hand them over. Until then, leave, NOW," Kouga got to his feet looking at the demon with pure hatred. But by demon law she was his now and he had no more claim on the bitch he once wanted, Kagome. Finally even though he hated him he bowed his acceptance of Inuyasha's mate status and turned gathering his severed appendage, and left just as fast as he came.   
  
Inuyasha, seeing that the danger to his mate had gone, changed back into his normal form. The hanyou felt drained but turned and went to the hut carrying Kagome. Four battle ready friends came running into the forest, as Inuyasha was about to leave it. "It's over, Kouga's gone." They simply nodded and let him pass. He looked tired and they didn't want to question him at the moment. He made his way into the hut and then back to their room with out a word sitting down on their futon they shared. Kagome had been very quiet this hole time, but she did seem to be calming along with him. He slowly let his grip on her relax and she pulled away from his body slightly to look up at him.  
  
"Are you all right, beloved?" he asked her softly stroking her face wiping the last of her tears from her face. He allowed her to slip into their bonds warmth for awhile, while the shock of what happened wore off.  
  
"I think so," she said her voice shaky. "My ankle hurts a little from where I tripped but that's it. He didn't touch me."   
  
"I know. I took his hand off before he could. I didn't want him to grab you and I even warned him but he wouldn't stop so I made sure he didn't" he told her gently.   
  
"You saved me again," she said. "He was gonna take me away from you and..." she couldn't finish it finally sank in what had happened and she started crying. The conversation was over and he started to rock slightly with he in his lap. She decided she didn't feel comfortable and straddled his waist so she could lie on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair telling her she was safe now and he wasn't going to let any one take or hurt her. It took a good twenty minutes before he felt her breathing even out and she had cried herself to sleep. Her spirit sank deep into their link and her conscious thought over road with untainted emotions that pooled in the deepest part of their bond. Miroku knocked on the door lightly and Inuyasha called to him to enter barely above a whisper. The monk came in and sat down cross-legged across from the hanyou.  
  
"She's asleep." he observed. Inuyasha sighed.  
  
"Yes, she cried herself to sleep again."  
  
"What happened out there? Kouga didn't take the mating well?" Inuyasha nodded.  
  
"Once I smelled the bastard I tried to grab Kagome and the runt to get them back here but he got in the way of getting to the hut. I was hopping throw Kagome in the door at least so she didn't have to be in the middle of it. But she was stuck behind me when he attacked and she just ran. She was scared enough to completely loose her good sense..." Inuyasha paused looking down at Kagome and stroking her hair comfortingly as he felt her shift slightly.  
  
"I can imagine," Miroku commented. "The incident has been hard on her both a few weeks ago and today's." Inuyasha nodded again.  
  
"Yeah," he sighed. "The only up side is that I didn't feel the absolute chaos I did after that other thing." He refused to refer to it as anything else but a thing. "I think she won't back track all the way. I have a feeling though she will need me with her everywhere again for a day or two. I hope that stubborn spirit of hers comes back sometime soon I miss it," he told the monk sadly.  
  
"Well we have seen glimpses of it returning this week. She has been doing remarkable for someone under those circumstances be patient."  
  
"Your right, I'm proud of her," he smiled. Miroku smiled too and got up and left the room. Kagome slept all-day and then into the evening. Inuyasha had no desire to move as he dozed there with her. That night Inuyasha had woken up for a few minutes checking on his mate and decided to just sit there with her in his lap and sleep setting against the wall. The night was a quiet one with out any nightmares or panic attacks. Kagome just slept letting her frazzled mind calm and her emotions rest before facing a new day and its new challenges. And even though they had slept more than half a day away plus on into a night he had been pulled into the deep slumber with his mate helping her heal.   
  
In the morning Kagome awoke to twittering birds and the suns light streaming into the room. It was early but she was hungry. Inuyasha seemed still quite asleep so she extracted herself from his comfortable embrace and rose and stretched. The events of yesterday came back to her in a rush but it didn't seem to crush her under it's weight as she had expected it to. She felt as she had yesterday before the incident only slightly more self-assured. She flexed her ankle then gave the sleeping hanyou one more sweet look and then exited the room by herself. She was so lost in thought she didn't feel the slight stirring in their link signifying Inuyasha had actually been awake. He had lain there quietly listening to her every move and monitored what she was feeling as she got up and about. He guessed she remembered at one point what happened because he felt her fear. When he had just about been ready to get up and comfort her, he felt her calm to a manageable degree and walk out of the room.  
  
She had started making breakfast thinking over yesterday trying to sort out her feelings for Kouga between whom it was that scared her nearly out of her whits the day before and the friend she knew. She decided that it wasn't a relationship worth hanging on to after the episode yesterday, but she still didn't wish him harmed. She would have to remember to ask Inuyasha how badly he was hurt in the fight. With that she dismissed the wolf demon from her mind not wanting to get scared again thinking about the fright she had had. But all in all she felt quite safe and vaguely wondered why as she poured some now boiling water over a bowl of oats. As she let them sit she finally figured it out and it was the wave of love that filled her heart coming from Inuyasha standing in the hallway watching her quietly. She turned and smiled at him and ran to him hugging him tightly.   
  
"Are you well love?" he asked her looking into her eyes.  
  
"I think so," she answered. "I'm not really scared today and I've been trying to figure out why. And I think I finally did." He looked at her.  
  
"Yeah? And what have you come up with?" he asked her saucily.   
  
"What do you think I am totally incapable of figuring some things out on my own or do you plan on doing my thinking for me to?" she retorted.  
  
"That depends on your answer. If it's as goofy as that grin on your face was your gonna need all the help you can get." Inuyasha was enjoying the verbal sparing with her. He hadn't been able to in over 2 weeks. Kagome just rolled her eyes and snorted at his answer. This action signified she was done joking around and wanted too truly answer.  
  
"Really though, I figured out that It's cuz of you!" she answered. Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her waist as she slid hers around his neck.  
  
"OH and what did I do? I just did what I've always done. Keeping your ass safe is all. You're my mate it's my duty to protect you." He lowered his voice to speak in her ear. "I love you, my soul. There is nothing I wouldn't do to keep you safe."  
  
"That is it though you came thru just like you always do. You're consistent, loving, protective, and always there. Even though...that...happened you never changed. You still love me and protect me as you always have. I feel safe again like I did before knowing you'll always be there. It just took me a while to remember that. That...thing...made my mind get really jumbled. I'm slowly putting the pieces in the right places. Thank you for loving me just the same and being my hero. Have I told you that lately?" Inuyasha kissed her softly on the lips.   
  
"Not in so many words but I feel it everyday." She giggled and he smiled then looked at her seriously. "Did you think that would change the way I felt about you or acted with you?"  
  
"Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking its all such a blur. I'm just glad I know now." He nodded in agreement and she decided to take the opportunity to kiss him. Miroku and Sango had been standing in the shadows of the hallway for a minute watching the scene before them. The hadn't meant to eavesdrop or watch but they were blocking the complete hallway and they were up to get breakfast. Inuyasha had known they were there and just didn't care as his mate was letting out some very important feelings. They kept kissing and Miroku and Sango rolled their eyes. Suddenly Kagome and Inuyasha heard a familiar male voice.   
  
"As sweet as that was, and as much as I hate to intrude, you are blocking the whole hallway and were all hungry." Inuyasha and Kagome pulled apart laughing. Shippo chimed in with his usual snarky remark.  
  
"Yeah you guys have a room!" Inuyasha shot him a look that told him to change his tone. "Sorryyy," he drawled out. "But it's true;" he quipped under his breath. Inuyasha chose to ignore the comment and move him and his mate out of the way. They all went out for breakfast and ate bowls of what modern day would call oatmeal. It looked like Kagome to all of them was on her way to her old self and all of them were glad to see it. There were shades of things she would still work thru in the coming months but they all took a collective deep breath knowing she was going to be all right.  
  
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HI all hope you enjoyed it!! This is my second chappy for protection. And if your wondering what the best way is to bring even more of the fire back to her, well enter ex-girlfriend evil dead bitch HEHEHEEHE. The next chappy will be Kikiyo and their confrontation. Well please R+R I will try to get that written soon. OH and do you all want me to write a chapter on the old story about Inu and Kag at school and why she doesn't have to go back right now? It would be before the attempt so it would be the last chappy of loving saying and being as one. I LOVE FEEDBACK and if there are any unanswered questions ask or recommend away! Laters, LJ 


	3. The Last straw

HI again here is Kikiyo's reaction hehehe I really don't care for Kikiyo cuz she is a bitch. Even when she was alive she didn't know what love was. So any how tis time for the confrontation. Inu is gonna make a decision that Kikiyo lovers ain't gonna like. I think I shall enjoy writing this chapter! Anyhow:  
  
Paws: Didn't think about fluffy Ill have to maybe slip him in next chapter. As for Naraku oh don't worry he's coming. As far is Kikiyo is concerned be happy she will kinda serve as more of a stepping stone for Kagome's healing than anything else. Anger can fuel the strangest thing. So here it goes.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha but I do like to write so here goes.  
  
~~~~~~~Last Straw~~~~~  
  
Another week had passed since the mess with Kouga. They had not seen hide nor hair (pun intended) of him since the altercation. Kagome ha been slowly getting on her feet again and finally with some coaxing from Inuyasha was even beyond where she was a week before.   
  
The jewel took a back seat to Kagome's healing and everyone knew it was important for her to be able to function again before they left. At this rate Inuyasha decided on trying to talk to her about traveling again in about another 3 weeks. He didn't want to rush her or push her into any unnecessary stress, but the shards needed to be collected. He didn't want them any more for himself. He knew as long as it was out there and that Naraku lived he, and his whole family, would not live long enough to see old age.   
  
They had many enemies yet to face including his brother and most of Naraku's henchmen and allies. But Inuyasha was not going to leave his mate behind with no protection other than an old woman and a village full of incompetent men. Between the two of them they were both working hard mulling thru the after effects of what happened as they came up effectively giving her new ground to stand on and rebuild on. The fact that she had the "blue prints" so to speak of what it felt like before it happened she began to move towards that again as well as she could with the help of her friends and mate.  
  
But things don't always go as planned. The timelines Inuyasha had carefully planned out to give Kagome choices and such weren't going to work for fate. Life has a tendency to keep on going even if your not up to speed. And destiny waits for no one. Things were coming to a head but no one foresaw the trouble that was about to come knocking at their door.  
  
A man came running into the village late in the after noon close to the four week mark. This alone isn't anything special except the message he carried would be ground shaking for our heroes. He ran thru the collection of huts towards Keade's, not wanting to be the one to break the news to the temper sensitive hanyou. So he sought out the healer/miko to tell her to tell the group.   
  
Loud voices could be heard coming from the hut. As he poked his head in Keade was just on her way out and was caught by the arm of the frantic man. As the mates argued the villager told her the disturbing news she would have to relay to the sparing couple in her house. "INU! I want to go NOW not wait another few weeks! We have a mission to complete!" Kagome shouted at the hanyou. They were deep into an argument that started right after lunch. And it was killing them both. Sango, Kirara and Miroku had made a hasty exit to escape the fighting pair and they took Shippo with them knowing he didn't need to see or hear what they were fighting over.  
  
"DAMMIT! Kagome don't you think I know that! But your state of mind is way more important than jewel! You're not ready to leave yet!" He hollered back at her. He felt a twinge of hurt under her anger but he could not let this go.  
  
"I think I am!! Its been a month Inu!! I can't just stay here forever and pretend the world out there doesn't exist and that we don't have something really important to do!!" Inu was at the end of his patience with his mate. She had gotten her fire back and her stubbornness. She wanted so badly to get on with life but he KNEW if she didn't take the time to build a proper foundation for herself, her castle would crumble under all the pressure all their fighting and the real world put on the group. He didn't want to slam her newly won independence she was exhibiting but he had much more to consider than just her temporary feelings at the moment. Her sanity was on the line.  
  
"MATE!!" He bellowed louder then she had been yelling. The sternness in his voice shocked her into silence. She got a hurt look in her eyes that flowed thru the link. Inuyasha sighed and lowered his voice a notch finally getting her attention. He took a hold of her shoulders firmly but gently. "Don't you think I want this god's be damned mission over with so we can just have our own life here with our family??? But Kagome! You don't have a damn clue about hole picture! If something happens to you right now, I am going to have a hell of a time trying to pull you out of that fucking hole that I was afraid to lose you to the first time! I'm glad you have found the will to move on and get going, but you have GOT TO LET ME FUCKING PROTECT YOU!" With this her walls of resistance crumbled and she fell against his chest crying. He held her close whispering how much he loved her and how he would keep her safe. 'Even from herself,' he mused. He heard Keade come in.  
  
"Inuyasha, It looks like she is going to half to be ready." Keade chimed in as the fight had ended and Inuyasha was holding his mate.  
  
"What in the fuck does that mean BABA!?!?" he asked her angrily because she had just counteracted everything he had just told Kagome.  
  
"Trouble, hanyou! That is what I mean. A man just came to me with urgent bad news from another village about a day from here." Kagome paled and Inuyasha felt her courage and anger desert her as she stood there in her mate's embrace. "Apparently, They found a pile of dead men in-between two buildings. And a woman who claimed to know what happened came out of the forest saying that she had barely escaped the attempted kidnapping by a hanyou. She also told them that those men were trying to save her from being taken and that is why they were killed. And now they are out for the murderer Inuyasha. They have your name...." she trailed off. Kagome could take no more and she promptly passed out. Inuyasha felt her consciousness fading before she went limp and had the foresight to pick her up mid news flash. Inuyasha was just numb. He looked at Keade and laid Kagome on a mat next to where he was standing.  
  
"Watch her Baba, I will know when she wakes," and with that he left the hut. He had a burning anger a deep burning anger that made him want to explode. He stayed very near the healers hut just inside the tree line. He threw a punch at one tree breaking it off where he hit and sending it 10 feet to his right. He dug his claws into the next nearest one scoring it deep. He let out a pained unearthly howl/scream that made Keade cringe. She knelt over Kagome's supine body holding her prayer beads beginning to pray for all she was wroth. Keade had a feeling her sister had something to do with this. To make al those people believe this story she would have to look like Kagome.   
  
Inuyasha finally spent his anger and felt Kagome beginning to stir. He entered the hut just as she began to move. He knelt beside her and picked her up with ease and nodded to the older woman and walked into their room carrying his mate. He sat down against the wall just as her eyes fluttered open. She was somewhat calm even though she was disoriented, their link provided her with the security Inuyasha was there. The news came flooding back to her and it hit her so hard it took her breath away. Inuyasha felt her sudden terror and began to call to her softly. But her mind was shutting out the outside world as it was replaying the news about the village. She began to shake all over and her breath was coming in short gasps like she had had the wind knocked from her. She was panicking and she was beginning to frighten Inuyasha. The blank look in her eyes told him that she wasn't all the way there. He realized he had to reach her before she made herself pass out again. He turned her in his lap to straddle his hips so he could look into her face. "Kagome," he said in a normal tone. He didn't want to shout at her but she wasn't leaving him many options. "KAGOME!" he yelled at her with a gentle shake. Her eyes focused but her breathing didn't improve, and she was now in distress not being able to breath. "Damn!" he swore trying to figure out what to do. He knew it had to be because she was so scared so he finally pulled her against him tightly. He then closed his eyes concentrating only on their link.   
  
"Kagome, can you hear me?" She nodded still struggling to breath right. "Good now listen carefully, you need to concentrate ok? Think about the soul-bond, think about how much I love you and don't let that go. Can you do that?" She nodded again closing her eyes. She reached down into herself sinking deeper. She felt him pull at he thru their life line and then was suddenly over come by a tidal wave of protective love. She let herself drown in the warmth of golden waves that rolled thru her heart and soul. Something tugged her down deep inside and held her there in tender care. Kagome got snippets of Inuyasha's other feelings, fear for her, worrying for her, the remnants of the anger he had vented in the forest. They touched her as they always did. She felt body go limp and her brain silenced in the onslaught of pure untainted emotion.   
  
Inuyasha lent some of his concentration to listen to her breathing and the feeling of her body. The near convulsions she had gone into had completely stopped and her breathing had evened out to that of her sleeping. She was limp against him as if a boneless heap. He took a deep breath. He spoke to her again in soft tones. "Beloved, come back to me now. I'm here I'll protect you. Just let yourself wake up now," he cajoled. She felt herself floating to the top of the sea of golden warmth and then seemed to come back into her mind and body. She started to move slightly against her mate and then opened her eyes. She didn't feel complete and utter terror any more. But she was still very upset coming back to reality.  
  
"Oh Inu," she cried. "I don't wanna go back there. I can't...But," just then her mind took another turn. "If we don't take care of this we'll never have peace here. I don't want to go back but I don't want you taken away from me either." Inuyasha chuckled. Kagome looked surprised.  
  
"Mate," he started. "Those stupid human....do you honestly think any or all of them could take me away from you? There is not a force on this earth that can do that. Or any beyond either. But I don't want to have to resort to killing everyone who comes after me wrongly or anyone trying to hurt you to get to me. A life on the run is no life for us or our pup or any future ones. Nor is it a life our friends should have to live to, because you know they won't leave us." Kagome nodded in agreement. "So we need to go take care of this. I wish I could have given you more time but it looks like there is no more. We will leave tomorrow." Kagome sighed and held on to Inuyasha tightly.   
  
"Inuyasha, who could that girl be saying such horrible things? I can't believe this could end up such a mess." The hanyou had already put two and two together like the old woman had. Kagome was guileless so she always seemed to have a little more difficulty deducing what was going on and who was to blame. He decided to explain. His features took a darker look.  
  
"Kagome. Everyone in that village was clueless that anything was even happening until I was yelling. They heard my yelling , the men's cry's and then they saw me carrying your unconscious form out of the village." He paused to let her absorb this then went on. "They would have believed this girl stumbling out of the woods the next day, if she looked like you," he told her pointedly. She suddenly got it. And an abrupt swell of anger surged down their link catching Inuyasha off guard. It rivaled his. Kagome pushed herself to a standing position out of Inuyasha's lap. He knew she needed to let it out. And then she just screamed. It was an pouring of anger and pain, but Inuyasha mad no move to comfort her yet. He just let her be.   
  
"KIKIYO!! It's that bitch turning my life upside down AGAIN!! NO NO NO!! I can't believe she is doing this! NOW! Of all times to do something stupid and evil!! I have to go all the way back there..." Inuyasha could feel the tirade ending and moved toward her. Her anger turned to tears and her mate was there to catch her. It was then three worried friends, a cat and their pup can running into their room. They saw Kagome crying into Inuyasha's shoulder. He glanced at Keade as he stroked Kagome's hair.  
  
"Did you tell them baba?" he asked her. She shook her head solemnly. He looked then at Miroku and Sango. "Bad news...VERY bad news." The hanyou proceeded to sit again pulling his distraught partner into his lap letting her vent her feelings in the way that felt most comfortable to her, in her tears. They rest followed suit lowing themselves to the floor close to where Inuyasha had taken a seat. He proceeded to fill them in on the news and the plan to go set things right. They all caught on quickly and paled similarly to Kagome had. 'This is going to be a rough trip,' Sango thought wearily. 'A loooooooong trip,' Miroku's thoughts unknowingly echoed the others.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That night Inuyasha let her sleep wrapped deeply in their connection to ward off any of the nightmares she would have undoubtedly have had that night. With the trial to come he decided that while they were on this trip she would need to sleep that way until they could find some peace again. Thru the night their deep sleep was unbroken, which let them all get much needed rest for the trip. In the morning they all set out right after breakfast with nothing being said in-between them as they ate and packed. They had packed Kagome's satchel with the things they would need along with their weapons including Kagome's bow. There wasn't much any of them could say as they prepared for the solemn journey.   
  
As they walked, Inuyasha was consumed in his thoughts as to what was going to happen once they got their. He knew he was going to have to go into the village at sometime but going in with his crew would put them in danger. But if he let Kagome go in there alone she would not handle the pressure well with out him and on top of it Kikiyo would most likely be waiting for them. Kagome walked next to her mate as though she was walking the path toward her execution. Her steps were slow and arduous but she was determined to see this thru. Her mind was like a turbulent storm that raged at the peak of the tempest. Inuyasha kept a hand on hers the whole time they walked not letting her away from him.   
  
Sango and Miroku walked behind the two watching them carrying the supplies. Shippo road on Sango's shoulder staying quiet not really understanding everything that was happening. They all knew he was too young to understand what had almost happened to his 'mama'. Kirara, even though she couldn't talk new what was going on and was always there as quiet back up for her friends as needed, especially the women. Sango thought mostly about Kagome worrying about how she would act in the village and what they were gonna do when they got close to there. Miroku was preparing for the worst, a mob or Kikiyo hurting Kagome. He was running thru plans in his head and also thinking about how nice Sango's butt would feel at the moment. But the situation as it was, he kept his hands to himself but he could THINK all he wanted.  
  
It was nearing noon and they were only a third of the way there. Inuyasha realized it was Kagome's pace that was holding them up slightly. He did not want to get them there any faster then they were but the problem at hand made it to dangerous to camp in the woods anywhere near the village and that is exactly what would happen at the pace they were going. He stopped them for lunch early letting everyone rest and eat. After the meal he told everyone they were going to have to pick up the pace and so Sango, Miroku and Shippo road on a transformed Kirara, and Kagome happily road on Inuyasha's back. She took comfort in the closeness of their bodies and gradually fell into a light doze. Inuyasha felt her slip into sleep thru their connection and by her soft breathing. He let her fall into the golden warmth of his protection in side their soul-bond. He was familiar that this was one of the ways her body dealt with all the stress of what was going on. He let her sleep most of the way there thinking it was better that than letting her stay awake and dwell on the upcoming confrontation.   
  
Their increased pace got them their by late afternoon still before dinner time. They were about where they had camped last time and still had yet to meet any villagers on the road in. IT was here the group pulled off the main road to discuss plans for the entrance into the village and to find out if it was Kikiyo for sure. Kagome had awakened an hour before they got to the village so she was well aware of how close she was to inevitable. The miko held on to Inuyasha's outer shirt with a death grip slightly shaking. They all found a place to sit and he pulled her into his lap as they began planning.  
  
"I've been thinking about this all day guys," Inuyasha started. "And I think our best bet is to let you two," he said pointing at Sango and Miroku, "go in and found out if its really Kikiyo or not. After that you can come back and tell us what is going on in that fucking hole and who is at the root of all this shit." Miroku could hear the anger in his voice.  
  
"I think that would be best. Kagome," he looked at her, "what do you think?" Miroku inquired. Kagome had been very silent and looked as if she wasn't paying any attention as if lost in her own world. But she was all their just not wanting to talk or move for that matter. It felt if she did, she would upset the delicate balance she had on things. The girl sighed.  
  
"I need sometime. I know we don't have much but this will give me that and I don't want to go in there with out Inu, I..." her voice shook as if she was going to begin crying. Inuyasha pulled her head to his shoulder and she hid her face in his neck. She didn't begin crying but a few tears spilled from her eyes. AFter regaining control she continued. "I don't think we can do this any other way with out knowing what's going on." She finally finished.  
  
"I agree," Sango said. "Then it's settled you guys will stay here outta sight till we get back then?" INuyasha nodded.  
  
"But what about me??" Shippo cried feeling left out of the discussion. Inuyasha answered him.  
  
"You will stay here pup with us. I don't want you in harms way this time this is something that your going to have to leave to us. If Kikiyo's involved this could become more dangerous than you would be able to handle." Shippo nodded accepting this from INuyasha with out question as he would a fathers words. The kit decided to go over and snuggle up in Kagome's lap. She welcomed the familiar warmth of their pup. He had slept by them off and on for the last two weeks after Kagome had been feelign better. It felt good to Kagome to have both her pup and Inuyasha close to her in sleep. And at the moment she could use all the support she could get. Miroku and Sango stood up.  
  
"Kirara, you stay and help protect Kagome ok?" The cat demon mewed her acceptance of her comand and curled up by Inuyasha's feet. With that they left the woods and began to walk into the village.   
  
In the town it didn't seem to be turned upside down by the current events going on. But as they walked into the village square it was the talk of most of the people they over heard. Eventually Sango stopped by Inn that she had went into the other month to see if there were any bathing facilities to ask who they would talk to about what was going on. The man who was tending the downstairs of the establishment pointed them in the direction of the village elder, Masao. The man also told them that the woman who escaped the hanyou was staying their with his family. Sango had thanked him and had been on their way towards Masao's house.  
  
Sango, thinking on her feet turned to Miroku, "I am going to offer my services as a demon exterminator, to hunt down the demon and kill it and see what happens from there. If they ask who you are tell them you are a monk who helps me in my work." Miroku liked this plan.  
  
"That's a good idea. I think it will work." They walked toward the hut and knocked on the door to see if the elder was home.  
  
An old man answered the door, "yes?" he asked them.  
  
"I am a demon hunter," Sango proclaimed. "I have heard of your plight and wish to offer my services."  
  
"And what of the man?" the elder inquired.  
  
"I am a monk, Miroku. I assist Sango, my traveling companion, in her persutes, with my skill in the arts."  
  
"Fine then come in," he said to them crankily. He moved to a small front room where everyone went to take a seat on the mats around a cooking fire that also heated the room. They both hid their surprise well when they entered and saw a woman who looked strikingly like Kagome making something over the fire. As they all sat down the older man looked at Kikiyo and then at the two visitors. "This is the woman who gave us the name of the half-demon who tried to take her after killing the three village men. She said they tried to help her but they were no match for the hanyou. I have had several of my townsfolk come and say this is the woman." Kikiyo then turned around from what she was doing to look at them. She was just about to start talking when her voice caught in her throat when she recognized the two in front of her. Not wanting to upset her plan she played along.   
  
"Hello, I am so glad you have come to help this town RID the world of that nasty beast. Those poor men...." she looked down playing her part beautifully. They knew she had recognized them. They both had seen it in her face for a split second. Kikiyo knew that Inuyasha was somewhere near hiding with the girl she needed to get kill before she could tell the village people what really happened. After her servant's had informed her of the situation here in much detail she realized the some of the people here might also recognize Sango. But with just the demon exterminator's word against hers it would be a loosing battle. Kikiyo got up and looked at the elder. "Sir, I must go out and find some herbs to finish the stew for dinner. I shall return as soon as I can to finish." She gave the two a sideways glance and a small evil grin as she turned being excused politely by her host.   
  
"Such a sweet girl," he said watching her disappear thru the door. Miroku and Sango exchanged glances deciding they better get out of there and warn Inuyasha that she was on her way. But the undead miko now had a lead on them. They quickly jumped up and ran rudely out of the man's house with out so much as a word. The searched the view from the elder's home to trying and see which way she went but she was already gone. They both ran thru the town as fast as they could go to get to Inuyasha and Kagome.  
  
Unfortunately Kikiyo was already nearing the edge of town calling to the men as she walked by telling them she had found her attacker and new where he was hiding she pointed up the road and told them to look for him and as they ran back to their homes to get weapons she ran into the woods towards Inuyasha. She was getting close.  
  
Inuyasha suddenly jerked upwards pulling Kagome to a standing position. Shippo was still cradled carefully in her arms. Inuyasha tentatively sniffed the air and growled. Kagome became a little frightened.  
  
"What is it, mate?" she asked in a whisper.  
  
"FUCK!" he cursed. "It's Kikiyo." Kagome's turned from fright to anger. Inuyasha turned to her. "We need to go out and meet her before she finds us. Get your bow and let's go. I'm not gonna let you outta my sight. She's out for blood now and not just mine any more." Inuyasha let her run to the deposited supplies near by and watched her grab her weapon. He looked then at Shippo. "Pup you go with Kirara and find Sango and Miroku. Now get going." Kirara changed and Shippo ran and hopped up on her neck obeying his 'papa'. Kirara took off quickly sniffing out her mistress. After he saw the pair run off Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand and ran towards the oncoming threat.   
  
Both Inuyasha and Kagome were about to collide with the oncoming, Kikiyo. The undead miko stopped when she heard them coming and made her bow and arrow appear in her hands and shot one toward the couple. It narrowly misses both and flies right between their heads. Inuyasha hears her from behind several trees and yards away and leaps towards her. As the hanyou runs to Kikiyo he lets his guard has had to let go of Kagome's hand to try and bring down the woman he once knew. Kikiyo runs off making him chase her down but as he gets farther away from Kagome he feels something is wrong, then hears a scream.   
  
When Inuyasha leapt toward the offending attacker she prosumed to be Kikiyo, he had let go of her hand to try and head off any trouble. But when Inuyasha took off running after her Kagome sensed something was amiss. Suddenly she was surrounded by the dead woman's soul-gathering minions and they were wrapping around her dragging her deeper into the forest onward to Kikiyo, who was making her way back around. Once she got a breath in from the one that was wrapped around her mouth to silence her she screamed for her mate. They lift the girl to a spot in the woods and drop her several feet to the ground. She luckily lands on her hands and knees and gets her bow out to face her preincarnation. Kagome felt the presents of the other and shot an arrow at her as she entered the clearing but Kikiyo shot one a second after Kagome had released hers and she split it in two in mid air both the arrows falling to the ground. Kagome got angry then.  
  
"Damn you undead bitch!! CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!!" Kagome yelled as she tried to get another arrow and be ready for the next attack. But Kikiyo made another one appear just as she got done speaking and shot it at her. She knew she was in trouble and that their was no way she could move fast enough to dodge it.   
  
When Kagome screamed Inuyasha was angry. He couldn't believe this was happening so fast. He had his plans laid out so carefully so his mate wouldn't get hurt. He had had it. It was the last straw the bitch had severed every tie with him now that she attacked his chosen soul-bound mate. He felt her anger and she felt his rising to unheard of proportions in return. His human emotion's faded away under his demon instincts. The dead woman was after his mate, HIS mate. And that could not be tolerated. The human blood faded into nothing beneath his anger and rage. He knew Kagome felt him changing. And his heightened strength and speed lent him the power he needed to find her in time. Just as her felt her fear spike, full demon Inuyasha jumped thru brush barreling into Kagome taking her down just before the arrow hit her chest. As he brought her down with him the sharp end of the projectile barely had time to graze her shoulder. The hard knock to the ground did little more than knock the breath from her. Noting she looked fairly intact sparing one glance towards his mate, he sprang from his position on top of his sprawled mate onto the body of the other woman before she could think to react.   
  
He tackled the undead miko to the hard earth and looked at her in her eyes. They were cold and unwavering. She was unafraid, after all what did an undead fear? "YOU BITCH THREATEN MY MATE!! YOU ARE FINISHED!!" He raised his hand up and poised the strike her thru her chest.  
  
"I knew it would draw you out you demon. You have given in to your tainted blood and lost all your humanity. I could never have loved such an animal." Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. His human sensibilities gone so were his feelings for her or any that had ever been friends or not.   
  
"And I could have never tolerated an ICE BITCH FROM HELL!!" In a swift downward motion he peirced the chest of the clay body where her heart would have been and followed the thrust all the way thru to the dirt. As he struck down the undead woman, the villagers whom she had gathered on her way to confront him were clearing the underbrush just in time to see him put his hand thru her chest. He pulled his arm out of the shell. There was no blood but the mob of villagers were not looking at the truth but looking at what they had been told by Kikiyo to see. They raised their weapons and suddenly began charging Inuyasha eating up the ground in-between them and the hanyou. Inuyasha reared back bringing his clawed hand up for a swipe at the villagers who where threatening him, when Kagome holding her right shoulder stumbled in front of Inuyasha getting between him and the villagers.  
  
"STOP ALL OF YOU!!" The mob skidded to a halt looking at the girl in front of them. They had just seen the demon slay the girl that had been in the village and yet their she stood in front of them now. Just as the villagers had stopped dead in their tracks seeing Kagome and hearing her words, Kirara, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo came running in on the maylay. Sango and Miroku dismounted and ran in front of Kagome putting themselves between her and the multitude of villagers. Kagome slightly dizzy and confused began to sway. Inuyasha's anger had died the minute Kagome had stepped in front of him. He had covered his face instantly changing back his human blood moving to the surface. It had taken just that long for him to look up and see their friends standing beside them and as he was walking towards his mate she began to teeter a little. He ran up to her and pulled her to him letting her wrap her arms around him.   
  
Sango took over the explanations to the villagers that surrounded them. "That woman my friend attacked was an evil miko long dead! She has been out to hurt them," she pointed to the mated couple, "for years now." She turned to the body that now lay on the ground and pointed to it. "There that shell on the ground that is now crumbling is just made of clay that housed a soul. She deceived you all of you as to what happened. The woman you see alive now is the one who was with me that night a now over a month ago." Suddenly as some of the people about were looking at the body it cracked from the hold in the chest outward in rapid succession and then crumpled into a long pile of dust. A small blue glowing sphere rose from the body and flew thru the air so quick it was just a blur and into Kagome's back. She cried out a moment as a bright light filled her and Inuyasha held tightly to her. Suddenly her knees collapsed and he caught her and brought her to his chest holding her securely. Everyone was in awe as they watched. Kagome went completely limp in his arms.  
  
"Kagome! KAGOME!" She started to awaken and he felt a sudden surge of anger and hate when she heard his voice. He felt as if it was someone else in Kagome's body and then as suddenly as it was there it was gone leaving a small residual feeling of comfort that was familiar from when Kikiyo was alive. And she opened her eyes taking in a deep breath. "Are you alright love?!?!?" She smiled a little at him weakly.  
  
"Inu-love, thank you for giving me back the last part of my soul. It hurt so badly because it was tainted by so much evil. The evil magic that brought Kikiyo back from the dead tarnished my soul and the hatred of the former life had seeped into her bones. But my magic has expelled all of the malice from my being. I could feel her for a split second as the last piece of her consciousness left. It was a friendly comfort you offered each other in life. But it wasn't like our love Inu. It felt wrong. It didn't stand the test of trust because it just wasn't meant to be." This was all said so quietly only Inuyasha could hear it. Inuyasha seemed to take it all in but was unconcerned with it at the moment focusing on his mate. He worried for her not looking too well since everything had come to a conclusion. Around them they had an audience still in shock from the events that had just unfolded before their eyes. Eventually one of the village men found his whits and spoke up.  
  
"But that hanyou still killed three of our village men!!" Inuyasha heard this and pulled Kagome tightly to him and looked up and growled. Kagome looked at the men from her safe perch in Inuyasha's arms.  
  
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs catching everyone off balance except Inuyasha. Sango and Miroku, along with Kirara and Shippo has moved in to stand by their friends now. "I WANT TO SEE WHO EVER IS IN CHARGE NOW!!" After seeing everything they had they conceded to her request to tell their side. So the men gathered around them as a sort of "guard" to not let them get away as if they could stop a hanyou, monk who could wallop demons, a youkia exterminator, and two full demons. But they let them guide them back toward the small town. Kagome didn't feel well at all knowing they were moving back toward the village, and back toward the place it all happened. But it couldn't be avoided any longer and she was going to have to tell her story to the person in charge so that they would be able to find peace in their own village and lives. Inuyasha thought over the events that had taken place the last 15 minutes and thought about Kikiyo and what Kagome said. He thought on it for all of maybe 2 minutes on the walk back and internalized everything about his past with Kikiyo. He finally decided it was something finally put to rest and thru his link with Kagome finally understood what the two exactly shared even if he was sure for a long time it wasn't love as he and Kagome shared. It was nice to know she had felt the that from their friendship. And he knew he would finally bury it completely as soon as Naraku was dead and he had avenged her. He made a point to remind himself to go back and collect the ashes before they left and to scatter them in the river so no one could resurrect the woman and put his soul in danger again.  
  
Kagome on the walk in as Inuyasha sorted his past out quietly, felt warm loving waves coming thru the their soul-bond all the while. As he spared some of his mind to think about the other woman. His heart and soul remained focused on Kagome. She floated in a warm sea of his love as he walked that kept her fear in controllable levels. But his mind was abruptly brought to a about face to his mate when he heard her sharp intake of breath. His eyes focused and he looked at her. "Kagome?" He noticed to a small blood stain on his shirt he hadn't noticed before. "Damn, woman what happened to you?"   
  
"I don't know exactly it just started hurting. I think he arrow grazed me when you tackled me out of the way." He sighed mentally kicking himself for not noticing the smell of her blood. "Love, we have been thru a lot tonight. Don't be so hard on yourself," she said as if reading his mind. He nodded to her conceding as he knew she felt his guilt thru their connection.  
  
"I need to take care of that mate," he said quietly to her as the group proceeded into the town limits. She shook her head.  
  
"Not right now just let it be please I don't want to stop. If we do I'll run."   
  
"Ok love but when we get to the mans house I'm taking you in a back room and fixing it ok?" She nodded this time and closed her eyes. Inuyasha put all of his energies at the moment into keeping his mate sane now. Kirara had returned to her smaller size riding in Sango's arms as they marched along. Miroku had taken up stride along side the demon hunter and let Shippo ride on his shoulder. They exchanged worried glances.   
  
"Miroku," Sango whispered. "We gotta keep on alert and make sure nothing happens to them. They have just been thru hell and they don't need another trip. It's bad enough Kagome's gotta come back here." The monk nodded and kept walking beside her closely. Of late he seemed to always be near her and at night their futons had eventually been pushed together in the back room giving them the comfort of each other thru the had times everyone had been having.  
  
They finally were walking thru the collection of huts that were beginning to look familiar. Sango put her hand on Miroku's arm and he wrapped it around her. Sango had not had anything happen to her that night but it didn't mean she was immune to the fear that the place invoked. Kagome looked around and went rigged. He felt her sudden fright and looked about also. He saw the Inns up ahead and looked down at her. The girl in his arms had begun crying. "Inu" she said in a desperate whisper, "I don't wanna go back...." He held her close and talked softly in her ear.  
  
"It's ok love. I'm here no one is going to touch you I promise." She nodded and hid her face in the crook of his neck and stayed there until they approached the door of the village elder. The man who lead the guard opened the door with out knocking and took them in. The elder, Masao got up and walked to meet his unannounced guests. But as Inuyasha entered carrying Kagome, he ran toward the hanyou.  
  
"What have you done to her you beast!! You are the murderer!!! Someone get that girl from him now!!" Inuyasha saw him heading to touch his mate. The half demon growled loudly at the elder and gripped her closer to his body. He heard her whimper seeing the man coming at her. Sango caught him 2 feet in front of the couple and pulled him aside.  
  
"Listen," she told him sternly. "That demon there is my freind! He didn't do anything he didn't have to save his mate last month. That girl who was here, she was an evil undead miko and when she went out to "get herbs" she ran to attack MY friends who she has been after for YEARS." Masao was confused.  
  
"What do you mean that is her right there!" He yelled at her.  
  
"NO you idoit. Her name is Kagome. The woman who was here looks like her. That is how she was able to tell you al those lies about what happened that night to get you to do her dirty work for her so she could kill them! He didn't try to kidnap Kagome he was saving her!! That miko who was staying with you was pure evil." Sango finished her tirade and the man looked at her then looked at Inuyasha and Kagome.   
  
"Saving her from what?" he asked towards the girl laying in the demons arms. He hadn't heard from her yet and he wanted to.  
  
"She was..." Masao cut off the demon exterminator.  
  
"I want to hear from the girl," he said. "I want the story girl. I will have it now. The TRUTH." He raised his voice talking demandingly. Kagome jump and Inuyasha just about came unfurled. Miroku swung his staff in front of the man blocking him from going any where near Kagome.  
  
"You will keep your voice down and talk kindly to Lady Kagome. Her mate does not take kindly to men ESPECIALLY HERE to talk to her like that!" The monk told him forcibly. He was taken aback. But he sat and waited for her to speak. Kagome finally found her voice. Inuyasha could feel her anger rising.  
  
"YOU WANT THE TRUTH??" she yelled suddenly. "Those MEN in that pulled me into that ally and tried to...tried to..." she burst into tears. Inuyasha had to finish for her. He held her tightly rubbing her back.  
  
"When I found my mate those men were attempting to fuck her against her will!" he said in a low dangerous voice. "They had already beaten her and were attempting to go further when I came upon them. If I hadn't have stopped those drunk bastards they would have taken some other poor woman here in this fucking hell hole to bed with them unwillingly and probably killed her too. You wanna make waves over that shit you won't hold me assholes. My mate is distressed here and I am NOT at all happy to be here. You wanna do something stupid do it so I can get the hell outta here." The elder looked at the half demon. He was slightly angry at his language but he suddenly felt an understanding for his anger. If his neice had been taken that night and he had come across that situation he would have diced men without thinking either. He was a reasonable man and suddenly changed his tune. He actually bowed to Inuyasha. This caught everyone off guard.  
  
"I apologize this happened in my village to you wife. I regret that those men were even called brothers among us. I can see that you were only protecting her when you did what you did. I will no long hunt you and I find that our town is better off with out the likes of them. As for the woman where is she who lied to us?" Inuyasha answered again.  
  
"The undead has been laid to rest. And now that this is finished I am leaving. Miroku," his tone changed slightly. "collect the ashes of Kikiyo and scatter them in the river before you leave." He understood why and said he would. With that Inuyasha turned and left in a dead run toward the edge of town in the direction of home. Miroku turned to the elder.  
  
"You won't have to worry. I have a feeling they will not be here again," Miroku said in a bitter tone.  
  
"I am truly sorry for what happened to the girl," he commented. Sango piped up.  
  
"Yeah, to bad you had to drag her thru hell again to set the record strait," she quipped. He sighed.   
  
"You will stay the night then?" he asked them. Shippo nodded. He had been quit all this time letting the grownup tend to business. But he had finally understood what happened to his mama.  
  
"You know," Shippo said out loud to everyone as the village men who had acted as guard slunk out of the hut back to their own lives. "You scared my mama tonight. And I'm mad at you. But I gotta stay with Sango and Miroku so I gotta stay here. But it don't mean I gotta like it." The man nodded and didn't bother to question the kit about his 'mama' because he knew he would probably insult his guests more. So he showed them to their room for the night. He shortly later brought them some food and let them alone for the night.   
  
Inuyasha ran out into the early evening cradling kagome against his chest. He could taste her tears and feel her pain, fear, confusion, and sadness. He now wished he had sliced down that man in the village too that had spoken to his mate like he had. But she didn't need any more shock she needed peace. So he ran. She held on to him tightly with her nose buried in his outer shirt. But it seemed with every step out of the village they took the better she felt. He had stopped outside the village only long enough to grab her back pack anc sling it on his back and began again at his fast pace. Finally about an hour out side the village he decided to stop for a few minutes to look over his mate well this time outside of all the upheaval. He sat down in the grass off the road side and let her rest against his chest. "Love?" he asked her. She was awake he knew but she took a minute to respond gathering her thoughts. She sat up but winced. Her left hand went to her shoulder.  
  
"I'm ok Inuyasha. I think. I just want to go home...." tears spilled down her face. Inuyasha took her face into his hands and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. He then brought his lips to hers in a soft kiss. She smiled at him. He then looked down at her shoulder Her shirt was in tatters basically already but he wanted to ask her before he tore it any how. He looked at her with quiet golden eyes full of love and concern.  
  
"Mate, I need to this sleeve off mind if I just cut it off?" Kagome shook her head. "OK. I'm gonna do that and then clean it ok?" She nodded an closed her eyes. She felt the cloth rip but didn't really care she was just glad she had her love there caring for her. They basked in the ripples of love that pulled out from the center of their link that connected them so tightly. Inuyasha looked at her shoulder tenderly. The cut from the arrow was tree inches wide and an inch deep. When Inuyasha touched it his mate took in a sharp breath. "I'm sorry Kagome." he whispered. She just closed her eyes and nodded. He then proceeded to clean the wound with out aid of her future cures with his tongue. He had never done this before and she looked at him in her surprise. When he did it again she hissed. He kissed her cheek. "It's ok love give it a second." and he did it once more and a warm tingle similar to that when the had the blood share ritual spread thru her shoulder taking the pain with it. She let out a breath of relief. Her cut was clean and closed off with a natural barrier against infection. She hadn't felt embarrassed at all in fact it had felt kind of intimate when he had tended to her wound like he did. He felt her emotions and read them correctly and answered them by saying, "It is what inu mates do. My saliva has healing powers."   
  
"I don't mind it at all. It kinda felt nice, plus it doesn't hurt any more." He smiled. And she returned it softly.  
  
"Are you going to be ok Kagome?" he asked her pointedly before they left. She sighed.  
  
"I think so. I'm still scared..... And I didn't want to tell that man what happened." She shivered and Inuyasha pulled her back against this chest. "And the whole Kikiyo thing..."  
  
"Is done Kagome," he finished for her. "You have your complete soul now. Yours and only yours. You have my love. And you are safe. Kagome I am so proud of you for doing what you had to. You are so strong my love. We'll get thru all this together I promise you." Kagome beamed at him. His promise renewed her strength and hope.  
  
"Thank you my love," she yawned. Inuyasha pulled the yellow backpack over his shoulder then got up and lifted her into his arms.   
  
"Sleep love, I will get us to our home late tonight but you can sleep on the way. And in the morning, we can face what it brings as one like always." She smile drowsily as she slipped into the deep part of their connection where Inuyasha let her drown in the pure emotion of their soul. 'Sleep well my soul, for it's you and only you I ever have or will love my kagome...' and with that he set off toward their home village. 


	4. In the end pt 1

OK sorry every one! I had to think this out a while with Naraku and I have decided....to just see what comes to me as I write. hehehe.  
  
But thank you Purple Rose for giving me a great idea to start with ^_^. Any how There are just two many people to comment on and write at the same time promise I'll catch up next chapter cuz that's gonna be the cool chappy hehehe just wait. ON with the story. This is Sesshamaru reaction to everything hope you like it. R+R everyone!.  
  
More to come soon promise. Finally figured out what I was gonna do hahaha.  
  
Disclaimer: Ideas are mine everything else is barrowed live with it.  
  
~~~~In the end~~~~~  
  
Kagome turned over on the futon for the 3rd time that morning. Inuyasha was already up as was everyone else. The demon they had fought the day before only half a days walk from the village seemed to tire her out more than usual. Inuyasha suspected she was becoming ill because she had looked slightly pale on the walk home. He had decided after there afternoon break that day to just carry her home the rest of the way on his back which she didn't bother fighting about which made him even more suspicious. So this morning she had slept in but was now awakened by the sounds of hammering not to far away. She grumbled and decided to get up.  
  
It had been 4 months since the incident in the other village. The old Kagome had come back with a vengeance shortly after the shock of what happened in the other town wore off. Kikiyo was dead and the last piece of her soul made her whole inside helping her healing along. Since then her stubbornness, her temper, and her independence had returned. Inuyasha let her be independent to a point as far as going to the hot springs with Sango by themselves. He stayed about 10 feet away from the bathing women in a tree watching the sky usually. The horrid fear that had plagued her fro the first few months had also dissipated a lot, but they all knew that the experience would leave its mark on her permanently to a small extent.   
  
Inuyasha always discreetly kept her insight out side the village. He let her roam the village without escort and she enjoyed being able to handle it on her own. Out side the village and into the forest he asked that she make sure someone go with her which usually meant him. He had also began to teach her some basic moves to help defend herself against humans at least and he also had insisted she up her miko training. Both of these seemed to give her confidence when they had begun traveling again. There had been no incidence yet where she had had to test her newly acquired self-reliance. But Inuyasha wanted it to stay that way. He knew he could not be at her side day and night always as much as he wanted to. But he did his damnedest chasing after her most of the time.   
  
In the last four months as Kagome came back to herself almost fully, the had also begun a life in the village where they called home. And the banging out side was nagging at her to get going out the door to help. Kagome sighed and pulled on a pair of black jean shorts, and a light blue top. She combed thru her hair and pulled it back into a pony tail knowing it was going to be a full days work in the nearing summer weather. But she had to smile too because it was their house they were building.   
  
She walked out of Keade's home and down the path towards the outskirts of the village. They had found a nice clearing toward the north side of the village on the way to the well that had caught their eye for and ideal spot for a home. It was shaded nicely and very flat with wild vegetables and herbs growing in abundance. In-between shard hunts Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kagome began work on the home. It turned out the spot was big enough for a smaller home off to the left and so the five of them with a little help from the village men and even Keade had begun to construct the dwellings for themselves.   
  
As she rounded the bend in the path, the half built structures came into view. She walked up to the front of the larger building and smiled again thinking of what her home would look like once done. They had only been working on it for 2 weeks and at the rate they were going would be finished in another week. Inuyasha was tireless in his work. He often stayed up late doing less noisy things to the home like sealing floors, as not to wake up the village. He would go to Keade's for dinner tuck Kagome in wait till she was sound asleep and go finish his day's work. It was like the hanyou never tied. But he would sneak in the window sometime after moon rise and snuggled in behind Kagome. He had managed to get Shippo to sleep on his own futon now saying he was getting to be a big boy and he needed to sleep on his own.  
  
The family the seven of they had made seemed to be second nature to all of them. Six of them with no one but the others in their group made their small band so important to each that they had fallen into a family role. The mated pair had seen the group thru so much leading them on their adventures they held the troupe together. Miroku and Sango had gravitated towards each other finally and Shippo had also fallen into his role as son Kagome and Inuyasha, also looking to Miroku and Sango as extended family. And Keade seem to mother them all especially Kagome. Born into this family they weren't but making your own can be just as rewarding and fulfilling if you used them as an example.   
  
Kagome walked around the side of the house to find where Inuyasha was working. She took one look at him and saw how hot he looked. She made a detour to one of the water buckets and bought him a cup of water when she approached. He was busy hammering nails into one of the main posts with his shirt off and his hair tied back out of his face.  
  
"Morning mate," she called to him. He had felt her coming she saw him smile when she looked at him before.  
  
"Morning Love," he smiled. He kissed her on the lips taking the cup from her hand. The hanyou then pulled back and drank the large cup of water in one breath and handed it back to her. "Another?" he asked her. She nodded and ran to get him one more then watched him guzzle that one too.  
  
"Better?" she asked him.   
  
"Yeah love thanks." She smiled at him.   
  
"So what can I do?" Inuyasha looked her over carefully. It hadn't escaped his notice that she had slept well into the morning. She had been working as hard as the rest of them lately not only that but fighting the youkia with her much improved miko powers. She had single handedly with one arrow obliterated a demon the day before. Of course it had damn near run Inuyasha thru with its claws. Seeing this had increased her attack 10 fold. But they all had watched the beast explode into bits awestruck.  
  
"How do you feel?" he asked her back. He watched her stretch watching the length of her body appreciatively.  
  
"Fine now. I don't feel near as tired I think I finally slept of what ever it was." Inuyasha put a hand under her chin and bought her face eye level. He looked deep in her eyes. Not that she could hide anything since they were linked. But he needed to see her face. His thumb caressed her cheek. An angry look crossed her face as she put her hands on her hips.  
  
"What? You don't believe me??" Inuyasha grinned at her flare in temper. Her spirit had defiantly returned that was for sure. It seemed in the end of all the hardship of traveling back to the village where it all began had made things worse before they got better but the vindication that resulted lead her further into getting well again.   
  
"No love. I just wanted to see your face," he answered. Her anger melted under his loving gaze and he pulled her against him. "Although you do have a tendency of not telling me when you're getting run down....." he let the obvious conclusion hang in the air. He heard a muffled 'hey' and as she pulled back she decided to punch him in the shoulder.  
  
"Be nice," she told him as a finger came up to tangle in the beads about his neck. Sitting him had become a very rare occurrence since they had become a mated pair. But it didn't stop her from threatening it now and again. Inuyasha just grunted and decided to kiss her instead. He did so lightly and reluctantly turned to the voice of Miroku from behind them.  
  
"At this rate we will be here another 3 months," the monk wisecracked. "I'd think it would be prudent to finish before next winter...." Miroku dodged the flying scrap of wood Inuyasha had tossed his direction.  
  
"Shut up damn monk. I been at this longer hours that any of you so just shut the hell up." Miroku was unscathed by his harshness.   
  
"Yeah well sit around any longer and well all catch up and you wont have any room to talk," Sango's voice rang out from next to the monk. She walked up and stood next to him. Miroku put an arm around her shoulders. Shippo came from around the back of the house just at that minute.  
  
"Come on guys, can't you grown ups leave each other alone long enough to build our houses???" Shippo asked referring to the banter. Of course the adults gathered took it a much different way and started laughing. Shippo looked about confused and turned to a mirthful Kirara. "I don't get grown ups!" he grumbled. "Come on Kirara lets get back to finding wood for the planks." And with that he hopped off with the neko youkia in tow. Kagome finally stopped laughing enough to talk.  
  
"Be careful pup!" she hollered. Shippo waved on his way into the forest and disappeared from view. They all looked after him then at each other and had another round of laughter.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Naraku watched the nauseating display among the group members. "Kanna, that's enough," he said waving his hand at the small girl holding the mirror he was watching so intently. She closed her eyes briefly and the mirror went blank only reflecting back his image. Kagura looked at the man whom she called father. "Do you think we let them have enough time yet? She looks as though she would be a challenge again finally." Kagura looked at him and shook her head.  
  
"Your the one with the insatiable obsession with her. So its all you," she told him. "I'm just along for the damn ride," she murmured under her breath. Naraku chose to ignore her barely heard comment. The smaller girl just looked blankly at the pair.   
  
"It looks as though the woman, Kagome, has returned to herself. But she can be easily broken as yet. Her mate provides her with the strength and security to rebuild herself." Kanna commented emotionlessly.  
  
"hmmmm," he spoke softly. "If you removed supports from a building, they collapse. Then I guess we have only to divide and conquer," he grinned his face showing pure malice.   
  
"They are mated and bonded Naraku" Kagura said pointedly. "How do you think you're going to break a mated soul-bond?"   
  
"It is dangerous to the recipient, but another blood transfer would wipe out the blood of the half-breed and bind her to me....If she lives thru it. Its a win-win situation. If she dies the girl that actually desires to destroy me will be dead or be bound to me. Either way the threat will be eliminated and if she lives I can use her against the hanyou."  
  
"Yes, that will break the bond, but in her present condition I can tell you being taken she would not survive the breaking." Kanna told him flatly.  
  
"We can always try. We have nothing to loose," he shrugged. "Kagura, I think tomorrow your going to need to go try and blow their houses to rubble. And Kanna you will join her. When both of you go you will do your damnedest to separated those two. I will be near once they are apart I'll take the girl." He stopped speaking and smiled to himself. The two females both looked at him. Kagura just thought him insane and little Kanna took it all in a with detached heir. 'This is so going to be not a fun day tomorrow' she mentally groaned, 'sooooo not fun.'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was growing later in the afternoon and the group was still working diligently on their coming together homes. They had a few of the village men join them after lunch helping put up some of the inner walls. Miroku and Sango where being helped by two others on their house too putting up an outer wall on the south side. Inuyasha and Kagome along with Shippo were busy hammering away inside their soon to be finished home. Shippo ran off to see if he could find some suitable fallen timber for more planks for the next day of building calling to Kirara to come with him.   
  
Just as their pup ran off with the neko youkia into the forest, the wind shifted. Kagome looked up into the sky shivering from the odd feeling it produced. Inuyasha felt the shift in the air and tentatively smelled the breeze. They both looked at each other knowing they were in for some company, the bad kind.  
  
"Gods be damned what does that asshole brother of mine want now!" Inuyasha swore. "He is coming in from the way Shippo and Kirara ran off we better go find the..." and before he could finish they heard a loud screech from said direction.  
  
"MAMA KA...." and then nothing. Kagome was already out the back door running into the tree line Inuyasha right beside her. Both of them yelling out his name. Sango and Miroku heard it to and were quickly on their heels.  
  
"SHIPPOOOOO!!!" they called loudly together. Inuyasha and Kagome were suddenly confronted by her mates half brother Sesshamaru (sp?) carrying both Shippo and Kirara by the tail. Both knocked out cold.  
  
"Alright you bastard, what did you do to them!" Inuyasha shouted at him shoving Kagome behind his back. Both their friends took up positions beside the mated pair for further protection of Kagome. They were quiet letting the brothers do the talking.  
  
"My my, Inuyasha that is no way to address your superior brother. But we have more important matters to discuss than you edicut. These two are simply stunned. Just simple pressure in the right place can have quite an effect." He held up Shippo and Kirara and looked at Inuyasha. "I suppose you want these back." he tossed him carelessly at the hanyou and human. The small band scattered running to catch their flying family members. Kagome caught Shippo in a dive to the right while Inuyasha ran to catch Kirara before she hit the ground. Inuyasha was already moving back towards Kagome to help her up when Sesshamaru was headed towards her. Inuyasha, after the diffusion of the group was the now the closest to Kagome. He took of in a dead run toward his mate before his brother could touch her. Kagome got to her knees with Shippo in her arms when she saw how close Sesshamaru was getting.   
  
"SESSHAMARU!!! Don't you touch her!!!!!" He tucked Kirara against his body and in a running tackle bowled both of himself and his brother over. They both rolled to their feet without mishap but it served his objective by getting him away from Kagome. Inuyasha quickly moved in front of his mate now on her feet.   
  
"Inuyasha, that was quite uncalled for I was merely going to help the woman up."  
  
"You bastard you just keep your goddamn hands off her!"  
  
"We are not getting any where like this and time is limited. I have come to talk with you of Naraku and see the one you chose as a mate. Now that I see it is the miko I have come to test her fitness to bear the pups of our bloodline. I invoke my right to challenge your choice as a royal bloodline."  
  
"Fuck you," he told him. "I don't give a damn about your challenge or royal blood. Leave us the hell alone Sesshamaru." Kagome was standing behind his back when as he was facing off with his brother.  
  
"What is he talking about Inu-chan?" She asked in his ear softly. He didn't take his eyes off the other youkia when he answered her.  
  
"Another family member, usually a brother or father, test the worthiness of a lords chosen mate. It only happens in royal families. But I didn't give it a second thought with Sesshamaru because he's never given a damn," he told her quietly.   
  
"Does it hurt?" she asked him.   
  
"Considering you human, he could very well hurt you severely not to mention lay his hands on you," he told her from his protective stance in front of her. Sango chimed in now from behind her.  
  
"Kagome, Its very dangerous. Its like a fight only with a little more control on the challengers part. There have been youkia that have died in the challenges let along hanyou or humans. What is even sadder is that most soul-bonds do not survive the breaking."  
  
"They do all this just to see how strong a mate is??? Even if the actual family member would probably die? That's horrible," Kagome said breathlessly.  
  
"Which is why it's not fucking happening with you or our children. Half the ruling youkia families have abandoned the practice any how. Sesshamaru give it up."  
  
"Ah Inuyasha, I will have my way since I am lord of the West Lands," he told him as he advanced towards them. Inuyasha held his position in front of Kagome. Inuyasha quickly handed Kirara off to Sango and Kagome put Shippo in the houshi's arms. You two run to Keade's and make sure those two get to safety its not safe for her to go yet." Knowing Inuyasha knew what he was doing, they did as he asked them to do.   
  
After the other two left Sesshamaru decided it was time that the heart to heart was over. Kagome had moved slightly to Inuyasha left and Inuyasha put his hand on the tetsiaga. Sesshamaru moved as quick as lightning as he held his poison claws up coming in for an attack. Inuyasha thought that he was going to for sure go for Kagome when he turned slightly and was headed strait for the hanyou himself. The poison attack narrowly missed Kagome but was headed towards Inuyasha mid section. It then dawned on Kagome he was not after her all the sudden he was going after Inuyasha. She had only split second for her anger to rise and she put her hand up feeling her powers pooling quickly at her command. She knew if since Inuyasha had been concentrating on protecting her that he would not have suspected his brother to aim for him.   
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" She screamed becoming engulfed in a pink glow. A power so intense flowed from her hand in a shockwave throwing Sesshamaru back thru several trees and a hundred yards leaving a huge scare across the ground. Inuyasha who had been bringing his sword up to block the attack that would have been a second to late blinked twice and looked down the long clearing to the pile where his brother lay.  
  
"Holy shit Kagome!" he exclaimed. "Nice! But just one question how did you know he was gonna go after me?"  
  
"I don't know. I just felt something was wrong and when his attack missed me and he kept going I just couldn't let him do that to you," she said shakily. He put an arm around her.  
  
"Its ok love," he crooned rubbing the small of her back. He suddenly felt his brother coming in again fast. He again pushed Kagome behind him and held his sword ready.  
  
"Don't you ever give up asshole???"   
  
"Now there is no need for that little brother," he wiped his face on his sleeve. "I am satisfied. I knew if you were threatened to the point where you could not defend she would most likely intervene most forcefully." Kagome became angry.  
  
"DAMN YOU SESSHAMARU. How dare you threaten my mate!!" Kagome words and temper flare brought a rare amused grin to the cold youkia's face.   
  
"Spoken as a true mate would. Inuyasha I approve." Both just about fell over.  
  
"You what??" Inuyasha questioned completely baffled.  
  
"I approve of your match. If it had to be a lowly human at least you picked one who was worth the flesh it took to make her. So many are such a waist of good meat." Kagome's jaw dropped. "Now that is taken care of, we have one more matter to discuss." Inuyasha was still looking at him confused.   
  
"And what is that?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Naraku, brother. He is after your mate."  
  
"WHAT?!?! Why the hell is he after Kagome?" he inquired forcibly. Wrapping his arm around Kagome he pulled her into his side protectively.   
  
"He wants ME?? Man this Naraku situation gets more bizarre by the day." She shook her head and leaned into Inuyasha.   
  
"Three reasons brother. One he wants her to get at you. Two he wants her threat neutralized and you two together have a good chance of defeating him and he knows it. Three he wants her bonded with him." He relayed this information stone faced, that a lesser demon had told him. It had been a weasel demon that had been in a battle with his family against Naraku and most of them had been pulled into his power as his meaningless minions, and as his spies. The youkia that informed Sesshamaru about the plot happened to overhear the evil man's directions to one of his family members. It is well known that the hanyou is brother to the lord of the West Land. The small youkia had been rewarded well for this knowledge and Sesshamaru had a mate to test.  
  
Kagome shuttered and turned her head into Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha looked Sesshamaru angrily. "You just had to say that last one didn't you asshole! Damn it of all things that bastard would do this tops it all. I bet he knows what happened and he is getting some kinda sick twisted pleasure outta this shit!"  
  
"Is there a situation I should be informed of?" Sesshamaru queried.   
  
"It's none of you business," the hanyou shot back. Kagome started to shake slightly. His attention turned toward his mate as he wrapped his arms around her turning his back on his brother. He stroked her hair and began whispering to her how much he loved her and would protect her forever. He whispered reassuringly that no matter what he would never let the bastard take her or separate them. "Shhh, love. You have got to calm down. You have worked so hard these months don't be scared mate. We can face anything together..." he told her as he held her face in his clawed hands ever so gently. She looked up into his eyes and the gentle gold depths lent her strength in their tenderness. She gathered her wits and forced her self to calm down with a much practiced control. She let her mind fall into their connection that wiped out the rising tide of fear. Taking deep breaths being coached by Inuyasha staring into the endless amber ocean of his eyes that felt so much like their deep connection. "Breathe with me," she heard in hear ears and in her soul. After two minutes the calm was restored to her mind and she allowed herself come up from their link and face the problems at hand with out her uncontrollable fear to impede rational thinking. Sesshamaru had watched the interaction between the mates with mild interest. His sensitive ears picked up the complete conversation and he smelled her fear on her rolling off in vast waves. The older and wiser youkia put two and two together rapidly. Seeing as how his words affected her before he chose his next sentence carefully.   
  
"Another has tried to take your mate?" he used the neutral word but knew Inuyasha would understand all of its applications. Inuyasha sighed.  
  
"About 6 months ago," was all he said.  
  
"She has learned to move passed it?" he asked the hanyou pointedly. Inuyasha held Kagome against his shoulder. Surprising both brothers, Kagome spoke up suddenly and full of defiant indignation.  
  
"IF it was any of your business, I would have told you. YOU have no right to pry," she told him brows furrowed. Sesshamaru lifted his chin slightly.  
  
"I will take that as a yes, then," he stated airily. "He has been watching you for some time and must know of this mishap which is why he chooses to do this now. But he is going to try soon." With that he turned and began to walk back into the forest.  
  
"WAIT!" Inuyasha called after him. "Why are you warning us? You have fought us tried to kill us more times than I care to remember, just...why?" Sesshamaru paused but didn't turn around.  
  
"Above all else Inuyasha, I am ruler of the West Lands. I have territory to protect. And I had by Youkia law to see how any of my possible even remotely, future replacements would fair having been born of your mate. Our petty differences are nothing compared to that. We may or may not settle our issues but I am a leader first and a brother second. Naraku has overstayed his welcome and out grown any usefulness to me and threatens my claim in the West Lands. Such an outrage can not be tolerated. Now you have my acceptance of your mate and the information I have on his plans. If you do rid the world of him I will consider it a favor. And you know I take those seriously Inuyasha. Like it or not for both of us we are family. Some things are more important than sibling quarrels." He then began to walk out of their view into the woods approaching his waiting coach. He opened the black door and looked inside to find Rin asleep on the far seat with her knees tucked up to her chest. He climbed inside and sat beside her small slumbering form and casually swept her hair from her face to look at the sleeping child. Why he had let the blasted girl follow him around or keep his company was a constant mystery to him. But his eyes softened just a bit as he stared at her. 'You make a fine princess though pup,' he thought off handedly. 'What will I ever do with a human pup?' he asked himself for the thousandth time in the last 2 years. He still didn't know but as time went on he simply knew he wouldn't allow anyone else to have her until she was well and ready to be married off.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kagome looked after Sesshamaru for a complete two minutes standing quietly. Inuyasha knew she was waiting for it to be safe to let go. The tension in her was overwhelming but she kept a tight reign on her wild emotions that would have taken her good sense and scattered it to the four winds. Her mate just waited quietly. He already knew he was gone but he waited till Kagome felt safe to deal with the problem at hand.   
  
All the sudden the she mentally allowed her feelings free thru the flood gates collapsing against Inuyasha's chest in a torrent of tears. He wrapped his comforting arms around her. "It's ok love," he whispered to her. He didn't even try to curb her tears, she had found safe appropriate times to release the storms of emotion. And so now he let her vent her fears in her sobbing. "Remember beloved, above all we are bonded and he may try to separate us physically and even try to blind you by his blood but my spirit will keep yours till the end of time and beyond oblivion. There is nothing that can separate one soul not even the blood sharing. Our bond goes far beyond the physical blood or not. We are merely two sides of the same being, two bodies one soul." Kagome after a few minutes began to calm. And looked up into his face.  
  
"So our bond is special?" she asked her mate.  
  
"Yes I talked to Miyoga a few weeks ago. In all the excitement it slipped my mind, but yes it is. Not all mates can soul bond and even fewer than that, very few can soul merge. Their are varying degrees of the bonds. Ours is highly refined, pure and stronger than Miyoga has ever heard of or seen, and he has heard and seen a lot more than all of the youkia I have known. Only under the right circumstances can a soul merge be achieved. I don't know what exactly they are no one has ever looked that closely at it. The blood bond can be overridden by another even a soul bond can be broken if the youkia is powerful enough, but a soul merge is impossible to break." Kagome looked relieved. "So no matter what happens we are joined for forever......." Inuyasha looked slightly worried still. She could feel he was holding something back.   
  
"Inuyasha?" she prodded softly.  
  
"Kagome, soul merged mates do not survive an attempt of breaking."  
  
"Breaking?"  
  
"That is what they call the attempt to pull apart two bound mates of any degree. That or if a mate dies. As soul merged mates we have some special conditions on our bond. Like I said all other degree's can be broken but a soul blend cannot. And if anyone attempts thru a blood link or soul connection to replace or come between a soul merged mated couple results in death. And if one does so does the other." Kagome looked at him for a minute. She thought on this for a minute watching the fear flitter across his features.   
  
"Inuyasha it does not make a difference. If it came to choosing between being bonded to any one else and death I would probably have taken my own life before allowing another to be linked to me in any way. There are always risks in love and life Inuyasha. We both knew that becoming even regular mates in the first place. At least soul fused we will share the same fate, although I do wish you could live thru a breaking.... it is selfish to want you with me always no matter what."  
  
"I would have it no other way love," he told her and kissed sweetly on her lips before she could reply. It became a passionate kiss deepening till their tongues caressed each others rediscovering everyday the others body as it was in their first encounter. He pulled back leaving her pleasantly hazy and flushed from his attention. He smiled at her. She returned it goofily. His face turned serious as he watched her straiten and knew there was still much to do and plan for. "We have to tell the other's what is going on. I have a bad feeling about this whole thing and I have a feeling it's not gonna be pretty." He wrapped an arm around her and proceeded to Keade's home to tell the others what happened with Sesshamaru and what Naraku was planning.  
  
An hour later they finally had gotten thru the explanations around the fire pit in the old miko's hut. Inuyasha had had to spell out the information about their bond the same way he had to for Kagome. He wanted them to know what kind of danger awaited them especially Kagome and that their # 1 goal was to protect her. There had been no argument about that. Finally they had had dinner and eaten in companionable silence as each absorbed the information. There was a short discussion after dinner on how to face the problem.  
  
"First thing," Inuyasha cut in. "Kagome you need to stay close to me until we know what's going to happen and when." Kagome nodded and sighed.  
  
"I do wish that our enemies wouldn't keep taking advantage of the situation. But in the condition I was in months ago I realize I was quite a burden and easy target...." Inuyasha tightened his hold on her from her perch in his lap.   
  
"Kagome," Miroku interrupted. "If it hadn't had been that they all would have found a way to try and draw Inuyasha out thru you. But the all under estimate you both. Naraku's one great downfall. He knows what you are capable of but you two being mates have brought strengths and weaknesses of its own. Any kind of attachment or weakness can be exploited. It is how we survive each trial and grow thru the problems that makes us stronger as a family and as mates in your case, and as individuals." Kagome gave him a sweet smile in thanks.  
  
"The monk is right love. If it hadn't have been this it would have been something else don't worry about it. We'll just deal with what's going now. Besides I don' t think it's even about that any more. He just wants to find a way to get between us to defeat us once and for all. But that is not going to happen because its impossible to separate us now. Any of us." he looked around at the group who all smiled and nodded.  
  
"I think we should set out in the morning to confront Naraku on our own and not wait for him to come here. He could destroy our village, and innocent people could get hurt," Sango interjected thoughtfully.  
  
"I was thinking the same thing Sango. The best defense is an offence. If we wait it will be on his terms and I don't like waiting till a fight comes to me. I am tired of fooling with this bastard, He's made our lives a living hell for years now. And now he is after Kagome. I'm done. After we get his part of the jewel, we will be able to get the Shikon no tama whole again with out his interference," he added as an afterthought.   
  
"We set out in the morning then," Kagome said.   
  
"Mama-Kagome?" Shippo asked getting her attention. "Don't worry about that bad Naraku ok? I'll help Inu-papa protect you." Kagome laughed and hugged him.  
  
"That's right runt I expect you to be on your best behavior and keeping an eye on her ok?"  
  
"Ok Inu-papa," he chirped happily. After that the conversation died down and they all settled into their given rooms to retire for the night. They asked if Shippo could bunk with Miroku and Sango for the night to allow his adopted parents some privacy. They let him sleep in their room once in a while to let them to be alone. 


	5. In the end pt 2: a healing night

HI all I decided to break up "in the end" up in to three chapters. So this is the that night its basically a lemon so i wanted to put it in to the thing as a seperate chapter. Kiddies if you are under 17 or somthing go away or read at your own risk its kinda graffic but i try do keep it tasteful.  
  
~~~~IN the end pt. 2~~~~~~~~  
  
~~~~~~~~~*lemon warning*~~~~~~~~  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha walked into their room, Inuyasha shutting the door behind them. Kagome walked toward their futon and walked all the way to the wall to lean against it. She closed her eyes and laid her head against the wood her face toward the ceiling, letting out a big sigh trying the let the tension from the day go. Inuyasha watched her with observant golden eyes reading from her body language she was tired and stressed to the point of feeling it in her body. He also watched her bring her hands up to rub her temples. He sighed also in slight worry for her as he walked to join her.   
  
He stopped right in front of her wrapping his arms around her upper back. She immediately relaxed in response. He grinned loving her trusting reactions to his embrace. "Getting another headache love?" he asked in a deep voice. A sigh was her first response.   
  
"Yeah, damn stress," she grumbled half heartedly her head still back against the wall. He took advantage of her exposed neck and kissed her pulse point under her chin. Again a sigh was his response only this time it was sweet and sensual. He continued to kiss her neck moving down to her shoulder and collar bone alternating between light licks and kisses. He was pulling her tighter against his body and her arms were now wrapped around his neck. Her face was tucked against his shoulder. He could feel her body begin to respond to his reactions by her scent and thru their souls, but her mind was still clouded with some fear and other slightly distracting and distressing thoughts. He pulled away slightly wanting to address her concerns before going on. "What is it mate?" he asked softly in her ear as his arms slid up the sides of her body taking her shirt with it. She lifted her arms allowing him to remove her shirt for her then looked into his face.   
  
"Just a bad feeling in my gut. I feel like something's not right..." Her eyes were clouded with worry. Her line of sight then slid down his body to his chest where he was unwrapping his outer shirt. She watched as it slid to the floor. She then took a hold of his under shirt untucking it from his pants and pushing it open to reveal what lay beneath. She ran her soft hands up his bare chest and pushed the shirt to his shoulders and laid a feathery soft kiss in the hallow of his throat. He let out a soft low groan that turned into a growl. She smiled softly against his skin. She pushed the fabric over his shoulders and he let it fall to the floor on top of his other discarded clothing. He let a clawed hand find her naked stomach and rub it gently.   
  
"I know you're upset because of everything that has happened today mate. But there is nothing we can do tonight. Let it go just for now we can forget for tonight and sleep in peace. Let me love you Kagome. We both need healing inside our souls. Join with me..." He whispered this so softly it was almost as if the breeze was brushing thru her hair bringing this good news from far away. But his lips that moved against her ear reminded her the words were coming from her lover closer than almost her own flesh. She started to relax under his insistent hold of your arms and the gentle pressure of his hands on her back and neck removing the tension from her tired muscles.  
  
"But,...." she said softly slowly letting go of the firm control she had on herself.  
  
"No buts my soul, let go for me. You don't have to be on your guard now. I will always keep you safe....I'll.." he whispered and kissed her interminably, "protect....you." The last of the tautness in her body gave way and he took her weight against his body. "That's my girl," he said affectionately. He then reached around her and skillfully undid her bra letting it fall loosely on her shoulders. She in turn she reached to the tie on his pants and untied it with practiced hands. she pulled back and took the loose garment off her upper body as he discarded his pants into the growing pile of clothing. Her eyes roamed his body and he grinned at her. He stepped forward to remove the last barrier between them and unbuttoned her jeans letting them. Those also were tossed and forgotten leaving them both unclothed before each other. He pulled her against the full length of his nude body wrapping his arms rightly around her. She held him close to her also with a tight hold around his waist.   
  
Standing there at the foot of their bed Inuyasha slowly lowered them to the furs laying himself over her keeping his weight off of her body and on his elbows. He looked deeply into the depths of her light brown and golden speckled eyes and then let his gaze take in her entire face. "You are so beautiful," he told her in a husky low voice then pressed his lips to hers. He then moved himself slightly shifting his weight onto his left side exposing her body to his touch. His right hand moved down from her neck to her shoulder over her chest finding a breast which he moved his nimble fingers over letting her feel his love thru his touch. He moved his attentions to the pink tip for a moment hearing her soft moan in her kiss. Her mate then moved his caress slowly down her figure toward lower destinations. He stroked her hip and moved down her thigh as his other hand rubbed the back of her neck holding her head gently to his own as they kissed. He slowly slid his hand over her thigh moving up its inside. He touched her inner flower bringing up his knee to part her knees to allow his caresses deeper contact. She enhanced his access her willingly sliding her lower body slightly. As he moved his hand over her soft sensitive flesh her soft sighs and quiet mewings pulled at his inner core. Her hand traveled down over his chest and muscle hard stomach finding their passion has stirred his own desire to life. She took hold mimicking his motions they began to rise toward a common pinnacle together.   
  
After a few moments he let his middle finger slide inside her enough to find her read for him. He broke their kiss off giving her one more quick kiss and sat up at her waist. He moved in-between her knees and she gladly wrapped around his hips. He moved forward gently joining their bodies in making them one. A familiar rhythm took over their bodies as they continued their union in their passion. Inside their souls moved tighter into a merge as they did every time the came together in love. They could feel each others pleasure that intensified their own 10 fold. They pulled closer together wrapping their arms about each other as the moved upward toward the stars. If two flesh bodies could have been one that night it would have been theirs melding into on into the other. They began to fall over the mountain peak falling into each other. The heavens open and swallowed both lovers at once as they reached the summit of their passion's bliss. They found themselves floating in the ocean deep golden warmth of their melded souls. They drifted into a deep sleep still joined. Inuyasha rolled onto his side bringing his coupled mate with him and they slept together in their lovers embrace.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	6. In the end pt 3

HI everyone sorry it took so long. I have a baby on the way and things have been hectic. Any how this will be second to last chappy of this fanfic. Hope you like it. Read and Review!! Thanks.  
  
Disclaimer: blah blah blah  
  
IN the end part 3  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
In the wee hours of the twilight of morning Kagome felt uneasy stirrings in the back of her mind. It was still almost dark outside as the sun was still low beyond the horizon just barely beginning to try and makes its presents know for the day. Kagome jerked out of her deep sleep propping herself up on her elbow. Inuyasha felt her jump and woke up with her. He slowly pulled his body from hers disconnecting them, allowing her to move. He looked up at her concentrated worried face with concern in his gaze. "What's the matter love?" he asked her. Kagome quickly got to her feet looking the way of the well and there the two half built dwellings out the window. She turned to Inuyasha she looked scared.  
  
"Inu....shards...lots of um..." Inuyasha didn't need any more than that.  
  
"It's Naraku!!!" he said loudly. He reached for his clothing tossing her hers. They started to quickly get dressed.  
  
"It's him. I know it. Inuyasha...." She stopped half dressed and looked at him. He felt her wave of fear. Only with his pants on he went over to her and hugged her, for a second.  
  
"I know love. But I will keep you safe. Remember I love you. No one can come between us ever. Now come my soul we must go." They finished getting dressed and as they did Inuyasha felt Kagome begin to get a hold on her raging emotions and start to hold them at bay to begin thinking with a clear mind. The battle in her head was quickly won out of much practice and he took her hand and headed for Miroku's and Sango's room where the rest of there party was.  
  
"Sango! Miroku! Shippo! Kirara! Hurry!!! Naraku is on his way we must go out to meet him fast!" Kagome cried to her friends. That had been enough to bring them all around and up on their feet. Luckily they were all still dressed and had there weapons handy. They all went to the door of Keade's home and looked at each other.  
  
"Kagome says they are coming from the direction of the well. I have a feeling they are going to start with our half built homes and move on into the town and destroy everything until they get what they want." The prize they all knew was Kagome this round but they left that part out of the speech knowing it was understood. "Stay as close as you can all or you. This is the end it ends today! That fucking bastard has seen his last day. Inuyasha pulled out his sword and proceeded out the door. Kagome right behind him carrying her bow ready and an arrow in her other hand ready for shooting. Behind her were the others battle ready as always. They took off in a dead run quickly moving toward the well.   
  
As they ran Inuyasha kept a hold of one of Kagome's wrists tightly not letting her get even a step behind him. Not three steps behind them Miroku was holding fast to Sango also much as Inuyasha was to Kagome. And Kirara fully transformed and carrying Shippo was at Sango's heals. They had made it not to far from their soon to be houses when they encountered a sudden strong wind that nearly knocked them all to the ground. It would have swept Kagome away if Inuyasha hadn't had her by the wrist. Inuyasha could smell Kagura at the center of this gusty storm. "It's Kagura!!" he shouted to everyone trying to prepare them for what was to come. On the end of another wind attack came the arched magical blades that originated from Kagura's fan that sent the troupe scattering. Inuyasha had jumped to the left narrowly missing getting hit in the back as he turned to pick up Kagome and move out of the way.  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha landed quite a ways a way from the others who had jumped to the right. Kagome called to the Sango and got a wave in response, but that was all she could get out before another wave of Kagura's attack. This time the blades had been sent only towards the fleeing couple. There were so many that Inuyasha was clipped by the edge of one across the shoulder nearly dropping Kagome mid flight. He had landed hard on his back coming in for a bumpy landing after getting hit. He had taken most of the force on his own body trying to save Kagome any pain. The hit so hard it rattled his teeth upon impact. A tree in his path stopped there skid. He grunted and got up hauling Kagome up with him. She was rather unhurt but could feel Inuyasha injury thru their fused souls.   
  
Several large and powerful demons attacked Miroku and Sango all at once to keep them effectively separated from the other two. Shippo fought next to Sango and Kirara picking off the demons. He tried to help the best he could with his fox fire. Miroku thought to take care of the monsters quickly but just as he reached for the beads that sealed his wind tunnel all four heard the familiar buzz of the hell wasps. They all then heard a voice. "You cannot dispatch my demons so easily this time monk or you will die. And the demon slayer I have a surprise for you. I brought you little brother along this trip. He's been DYING to see you again." It was Naraku. He laughed evil at his ingenious plans. He knew he had them all pegged. All that was left to do was separate the two mates and he would have what he came for if he rid himself of a few more pests in the process then it would be a bonus.  
  
After giving the demon slayer and the monk there surprises he moved over to where Kagura was now attacking the two full force. Inuyasha found an opening and pulled his sword free. Kagura's attacks were deflected by the tetsiaga and destroyed a few trees around the pair. Inuyasha had Kagome pressed against his back with one arm. He knew the others were now probably being attacked out of sight and he had no one to watch his back. She attacked once more sending him one more step backward. Kagura smiled and Inuyasha saw it. Something was wrong. She lifted her fan up only this time there were no wind blades. From behind them a hand came up out of the ground and grabbed Kagome's foot pulling her off balance. He heard her shriek and loose her footing. He could see behind him that something was coming up out of the ground. The Hanyou turned and wrapped his arm around her and swung his sword down with the other, effectively slicing the hand off. "Its a zombie!!!" Kagome cried. He pulled her away from the now emerging corpse. Kagura turned her fan for a down stroke and sent wind blades toward Inuyasha's turned back. He had been anticipating the move and turned to deflect them. He angled his sword just so that that all bounce off to the right obliterating the fully erect corpse to ashes. Kagura cursed.  
  
"DAMN YOU INUYASHA!!! I will defeat you!!!" Just as she spat this at the hanyou a figure cloaked in a baboon skin appeared behind them. Kagome felt the appearance of the many shards behind her as Kagura let loos another round of wind blades. Inuyasha had both hands on his sword now and Kagome was freed up to turn around to look behind her. She could see the man and quickly pulled back her arrow yelling to Inuyasha.   
  
"Inu!! Naraku!!! He's behind us!!" He deflected the last wind blade in time to see her loose her arrow in the evil demons direction.  
  
Across the glade and behind a few trees the rest of the crew were having their own troubles. Miroku was trapped in hand to hand combat with a four armed large demon with large eyes and short legs. It's torso covered most of its body and Miroku was barely keeping it off of himself with his staff. Suddenly Kirara jumped on its back and bit deep into its neck with its large teeth tearing a chunk large enough for it to bleed heavily and slow it down. The cat demon had scored the larger demons back also as it jumped over to knock over another demon from getting Miroku in the back. She tore the entire throat out of that one down to its back bone and left it to writhe on the ground and die.   
  
Sango was facing off with her entranced brother who was ready to fight. She tried to talk to him for a minute and found it useless. She knew that the only way to get her brother back was to purify the jewel shard in his back with her love and with Kagome's help. What she was going to do after that she didn't want to think about. She knew they would need all the shards eventually but.... She wouldn't let herself think behind freeing his mind. She tried pleading one last time. "Kohaku please......you have to be in there somewhere fight it...." but the same blank glare full of hate and anger faced her still.   
  
"No... SISTER...."he mocked the word, "I am quite happy like I am." Sango wanted to cry. She had to do something. It was then that her brother let his reaper weapon fly toward her. She used her Hiraikotsu as a shield against her brothers attack. He retracted his weapon for another throw at Sango's head which missed again as it imbeded it self deep in her Hiraikotsu. Sango was at a loss she couldn't attack him without hurting him with her large weapon. And Kohaku was gifted with his reaper, she knew he would either bus thru her shield or get lucky and hit her eventually. It was then Kohaku yanked his projectile free and threw it again missing Sango completely on the first pass but thru the chain pulled on it and on its decent hooked in to the female demon slayers shoulder round the bone. Sango cried out as she was roughly forced to the ground bye the blow and her brothers tug on the chain. He walked forward wrapping the chain around his arm keeping the chain tight between his sister and his grasp. Each time he pulled up the slack his sister cried out. Miroku looked on in horror as he was rushed by another demon taking his full attention back. Kirara came to her side about the charge her brother but Sango cried out not to hurt him to her. Kohaku was closing in. He as he stood above her, he finally pulled his weapon free of her back and she screamed loudly enough for even Inuyasha and Kagome to hear. He raised it once again for a final strike. Miroku suddenly had his hands full trying to defeat yet another demon larger and stronger than he was with out the aid of his wind tunnel.  
  
Kagome felt Inuyasha arms go around her waist and he jumped sideways to avoid another onslaught of Kagura's attack. The arrow hit Naraku in the left arm blowing it clean off. He yelled out as Inuyasha curled around his mate taking the force of the hit on the ground again. He managed to roll on to his knees keeping Kagome under him. He looked at both of their attackers quickly trying to figure out what to do next. Kagura smiled again. Apparently there had been a battle here at another point in history that left a few scattered dead bodies in this part of the forest glade. Again a hand pushed out of the ground along with another and wrapped themselves around Kagome's mid section. Kagome shrieked as she was forced to the ground by the rotting arms. It was then Kagura sent a large whirl wind toward the couple. Inuyasha slashed at the arms with his claws just freeing Kagome in time to get hit by the tornado. It picked them both up off the ground sending them flying up wards. Inuyasha and Kagome reached for each other inside the twister. Just as they were about the touch the one seperated in to two, taking them into two completely different tornado's heading in opposite directions. Inuyasha called Kagome's name as she called his. The sounds were lost in the wind but not in there hearts. The one twister that carried Inuyasha threw the hanyou a good quarter mile away from where Kagome's stopped spinning taking her in front of Naraku. The wind had slowly begun to put her closer to the ground the dropped her the last few feet where the evil demon stood. He quickly looked at Kagura motioning with his head in the direction of Inuyasha for her to go take care of him. She nodded and disappeared leaving the girl and demon alone.   
  
Naraku let Kagome get to her feet. With his only hand left as she looked up at him knotted his hand in the back of her hair at the nap of her neck tightly, purposefully hurting her. She cried out as he pulled her head back to look up at him. "You little bitch. You did this to me AGAIN! How dare you! Taking you is going to be a pleasure....for me!" he cackled. "That hanyou of yours is nothing compared to me. Shall we see what the blood of a real demon would so in your body?" He grinned at her. Kagome had tears rolling down her face. The fear that was in her was intense. She could feel Inuyasha get hurt once more and then get angry. She knew he was changing to demon form. She knew he could feel her fear. And suddenly Naraku crushed his lips to hers in a bruising kiss making her cry out in her mind to Inuyasha pleading with him to come. She heard a large explosion not to far away and a female scream. She next felt him coming. Kagome gathered her courage and brought her knee up into his sensitive male parts forcing him to break the kiss in a painful howl. He pulled her to the ground by her hair slamming her face first. He had just enough time to kneel on her back and lift her hand up behind her. He pinned her arm with is other knee and freed his knife with his only hand.   
  
"Just try it you asshole. Inuyasha finished your minion and now your next!!" she shouted spitting out dirt and blood from her mouth. She felt him so close she could almost reach out and touch him. He picked up the knife and had enough time to slit her palm down the middle much like the mark that would have been there the night she had become Inuyasha's mate. "INUYASHA!!!" she cried with everything in her. She knew it would mean both of there deaths if he held his hand up to hers. But that chance never came. A feral Inuyasha bounded into him taking him rolling along the forest floor.   
  
Inuyasha had dug his claws in deep to Naraku's body as to not loos hold of his quarry. Kagome looked around trying to take in her situation. She saw the tetsiaga imbedded in the ground not to far from where she lay not 20 yards where he had abandoned it to become full demon. Kagome was rattled, in a lot of pain, and had terror building enough to make anyone go insane but she pushed it all to the back of her mind as she struggled to her feet. She looked about for her bow and arrows. She found both toward the struggling demons. She limped over to her bow and fell to her knee's next to it picking it up into her hands one bleeding freely. Naraku chose this point in time to fill the air with a thick myasthma that made Inuyasha have to back off or die from inhaling it. He was about to get away again. She could feel it. She stood on shaking legs, pulled back an arrow, closed her eyes and let it fly to where she felt the jewels because she could not see thru the thick cloud encompassing the area.  
  
Out of a tree above the struggling Sango Shippo dropped out with a large rock and fell full force on Kohaku's head. Sango heard the crack up above her head and saw his weapon drop beside her in the dirt then briefly caught a glimpse of him falling back wards. He landed on his back his eyes closed with a growing bump near his right temple. Sango struggled to her knees and with her good arm to crawl toward her brother. She heard a muffled shout and as she reached her brothers supine body and rolled him over. Shippo had fallen under the weight of the boy and had not been able to push him off. The kitsune ran to her and hugged her. "SANGO SANGO are you ok???" he was hysterical. Sango was in shock in more ways than one. She checked her brother for signs of life and found he was probably just knocked out. She finally acknowledged the kit.  
  
"What did you do???" she yelled tears in her eyes. She was not thinking clearly thru the pain emotionally and physically. The bleeding was starting to make her light headed.  
  
"Sango... I saw he was going to kill you so I knocked him out. I know you couldn't hurt him but I had to save you!! I...I... I didn't hurt him bad.... I couldn't let him hurt you!!" he began to cry. Sango sighed. Her vision was going blurry.   
  
"Aww, Shippo.." she whispered and reached for that small kit but passed out onto the ground next to her brother. Miroku was taking some good hits from the beast he was fighting but Kirara came to his rescue again. She had taken one arm off the monster and came back for another. Miroku finally was able to find an opening and smack the demon over the head with his staff knocking him to the ground letting Kirara go in for the kill. There was nothing left of the demons that had attacked them in the beginning now. He ran over to Sango and pulled her into his lap holding the back of her shoulder with as much pressure as he could to stop the bleeding. He tore pieces off his robe to uses as make shift bandages sitting there with no supplies. He wrapped them around her shoulder tightly then moved to Kohaku and gently tied his feet together and his wrists so he would not attack them if he awoke. He assigned Shippo to watch over her brother for any signs of waking while he attended to Sango. He pushed himself against a tree to sit and pulled the demon slayer in to his lap. His soar and battered body protested greatly against the movement but he held to her against him waiting for the energy to get up and take her to Keade's for further tending.  
  
After Inuyasha had been dropped to the ground by the tornado he had had to take a minute to catch the breath knocked from him on impact. He had no idea where Kagome was at the second but he got his bearings and quickly started in her direction. He felt her intense fear all the sudden as he was sure she was looking Naraku in the face. Not 10 steps toward Kagome Kagura blocked his way. She had let loose another round of wind blades toward him that were easily blocked by the tetsiaga but without having to have Kagome behind him he rushed her thru the onslaught and before she could come down with her next batch he had ripped his sword thru the air using its most powerful attack to turn her to nothing but a memory. He was in hot pursuit of his mate when he felt her pain and fear wash over him. His Demon blood pushed hard against the barrier the tetsiaga held it in. It wanted nothing more to find the cause of her distress and rip it apart. He knew he was stronger as a demon and faster and more fierce. He saw him kiss Kagome and he lost his mind. He felt he hot tears on his face as if they were his and he burried his sword half way into the ground where he stood. His demon blood washed over him like a scolding tidalwave taking his human side with it. He saw her go down hard as he ran and saw him brandish the knife to try and hurt her. Sudden terror hit him as he sliced her hand open knowing he was seconds away from attempting a blood bonding. It would mean their deaths. It would mean his love would suffer. He leapt with all his might to stop him from harming her further and slammed into him just as he heard her cry for him in desperation. The had rolled along the ground a feet away from his mate which had been his goal. She was out of harms way for the time being. And he was angry. So beyond thought that all he did was tear at the target now beneath him. It was then that the thick black gas that chocked him made him pull away so he didn't suffocate in the deadly fumes. He vaguely saw Kagome reach her feet and draw her bow taught and fire the arrow. It was charged with so much power that it cleared the fatal gas as it passed bringing the clean scent of fresh air with it. She had shot with her eyes closed, he could feel her every feeling and thought. There was a dull thud and then a yell as the arrow hit home in Naraku's heart. There was a blood curdling scream of pain and defeat that echoed thru the forest and several things happened at once.  
  
Miroku's hand began to tingle as the arrow's magic began to dissolve his hole being from the inside out. Kagome dropped her bow and made a decent to the hard ground as he knees buckled underneath her as his flesh began to melt off his face and upper body. Inuyasha ran to catch her and did so right before she hit the ground by throwing his body under hers and then let her fall against him as Naraku let out another shrill yell damning both her and the now again hanyou. The magic of her arrow moved down his legs and out to his one arm left liquefying it thru the muscles and bones. Kohaku sputtered slightly and then laid still in a quiet sleep again, and the warmth in the monks hand disappeared, and somewhere not far off a mirror shattered into a thousand pieces, taking its owner, Kanna, in the same manner into oblivion. Almost the complete other half of the crystal fell sounding like wind chimes as it hit the ground and then a baboon pelt floated down slowly over the shards. The glade was deathly quiet.  
  
Some ways away Miroku laid Sango into his lap and tentatively let the prayer beads fall from his right hand. As he pulled them away he sucked in a breath and waited. Nothing happened. He unwrapped the cloth around it and looked at his hand for the first time since he could remember. Their was a circular scare there and that was the only reminder that there had been anything there at all ever. He was in utter shock. He then suddenly heard the boy next to him stirring. Shippo ran to Miroku tugging on his sleeve to get his attention. "He's waking up Miroku!!" the kit called to him. He looked over to the boy as he struggled towards consciousness. Kohaku finally opened his eyes. His clear brown eyes met the monks as he sat up.  
  
"What..." he got a look at Sango. "OH no...oh no...please tell me I didn't..." tears filled his eyes. "Sango....." no response. "SANGO!!!" he struggled against the bonds that held him in place as he cried for his sister. Miroku looked at Shippo.  
  
"Let him loose," he told the kit. He ran over to the boy and let him go untying his hands from behind his back. Shippo didn't have time to get to his feet as he tore the fabric bindings and crawled over toward Miroku to see his sister. Sango laid still in his lap.  
  
"Did I...? Is she alive...?" he was afraid to find out the answer. The monk nodded.  
  
"Kohaku, do not feel guilty Naraku controlled you. You as blameless in this as the rest of us. Be strong for her boy, she needs you right now." Miroku told him. The male demon exterminator nodded.   
  
"I will..." he trailed off as he heard his sister moan slightly. The blood loss had stopped that was a good sign. Kohaku laid a hand on her cheek. "Sango?" he called to her. The demon slayers eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Kohaku?" she asked. He smiled as did Miroku.  
  
"Sango!" he cried and bent to hug her gently. "OH Sango....I'm so sorry..."   
  
"SHHHH... It's ok Kohaku. Everything's ok now." she hugged him with her unhurt arm. She looked up at Miroku. "ARe you ok?"  
  
He smiled down at her and slid a hand down to her hand that laid on his leg. "Yeah just a bit beat up......" he paused adn then smiled.  
  
"What?" she asked him as Kohaku sat up.  
  
"My wind tunnel is gone," he stated simply. Her smile reached ear to ear and as she reached up to him with her good arm and her hand knotted in the material near his throat and pulled his face down to hers. She looked at him for a moment then kissed him softly. He kissed her back and wrapped his arms around her torso to bring her closer. The finally parted flushed and panting. She laid her head on Miroku's shoulder and was brought back to reality by her brothers voice.  
  
"Ah....Sango?" he asked confused but smiling.   
  
"Later brother," she sighed and smiled. "Much later...," she let her eyes close from exhaustion again and feel into a warm in-between state that kept the pain away but let her know she was alive. Miroku looked at Kohaku.   
  
"We should get to Keade's, she is our friend and she will help your sister get well."   
  
"You're right lets go." Miroku's stubborn will was the only thing that let him pick her and his body up off the ground with out collapsing. He stood and gritted his teeth a minute and then began an arduous walk back to Keade's hut with Kohaku and the others in tow. Miroku gave a fleeting thought to there comrades and thought if they didn't show up at Keade's soon he would take Shippo and defiantly go seek them out.   
  
The mated couple laid on the ground for a few moments. Inuyasha held Kagome's unconscious from to his body tightly and looked in the direction of the baboon skin and then back to his mate. He shuddered and sat up. He pulled her up with him keeping her against his chest. The events during his run toward Naraku and when he caught her were fuzzy but they were all clearing rapidly as he examined her for injuries. Her mouth seemed to have been cut inside when the demon had slammed her into the ground and there were bruise on her body everywhere. Her neck looked like it showed signs of slight swelling where he had a hold of her so tightly and her hand was still bleeding freely. Images of him kissing her assaulted his memory along with her feelings of terror and pain. Her face still had remnants of her tears she had shed being held in his tainted hands. Inuyasha began to cry. He'd seen her kick him where she knew would hurt him trying to get out of his kiss and he was so proud of her. She hadn't given in to her fear. She had even shouted to let her go. The half demon held the woman close to his body and rocked her back and fourth as he wept for her. She'd been thru so much. And it all was now finally over. He was relieved but worried for his mate at the same time. She her still from was still unresponsive to his touch and urgings from his soul. She had sunk deep into their connection when she had finally let go. He could feel the raging emotions and memories that awaited her upon waking. But he needed to talk to her. He remembered that the last time the men almost forcer her that she had wanted him to love her to erase what she remembered from them so she could feel the his love for her in those acts. He bent his face down inches from hers. "Kagome," he called softly, pleadingly thru his words and his soul. "My soul," he tired again there was a flick of her eyes but it was a battle to come out of the golden warmth to consciousness thru all the pain and fear. He sighed softly feeling her struggled and reached into their joined soul with all the love, security, and protective feelings he had in him as his lips joined with hers ever so gently against her bruised mouth.  
  
Little by little she began to respond to his lips on hers and the prodding inside their soul. He kept his eyes closed helping her out of the fog with his protective love to guide her. She then brought up her arms around his neck to keep her devoted mate even closer to her than he was. The kiss turned from a sweet kiss to one of tender passion as it deepened. She let his tongue enter thru her lips as hers sought the warmth of his also. Her mouth was bruised and bleeding but neither seemed to notice and as they continued the pain of her wounds seem to fade away as his healing powers thru his mouth transferred to hers. They finally pulled away looking at each other. He looked at her tears running down his face as her own were set free again down her cheeks. He ran a shaky hand thru her hair and down the side of her face. "Mate?" he asked softly. She flung herself against him snuggling down into his shirt holding on for dear life.  
  
"OH INU!" she cried out. "HE...he...." she began to sob and he started to rub her back.  
  
"I know love I saw," he replied. "It's ok my brave brave soul. You were so scared and you didn't let it over come you. You let him have it all and you were so brave. I am so proud of you my soul. Its over, you killed him. He's gone and he won't ever hurt you again. I promise" he told her as he rocked her.  
  
"He's gone? Its over?" she asked pulling away to look up in his eyes. He nodded. "I did it?"  
  
"Yes my soul, you did it! You defeated him." she buried herself back against his chest.  
  
"Oh Inuyasha, I felt you coming you gave me my strength to live thru all that. He almost...."she briefly looked at her hand that still hurt. Inuyasha took her hand and looked at her. She realized he was getting permission to clean it like inu mates do. She kissed him softly and nodded. He was always so careful after these type of situations she was thankful for his foresight. He took her palm and cleaned it with a few quick licks that sent a warmth spreading thru her hand and formed a protective barrier over the wound.  
  
"I would not have let that have happened Kagome. Even if I had had to be in two places at once I would have not let him do that. I love you my soul I told you he could not separate us. And now we won." He gave a glance out into the wood in the direction he had last known the rest of their family to be. "I hope the victory didn't cost us to much...."  
  
"Do you think there ok?" Kagome asked thru her tears her voice muffled by his outer shirt.  
  
"I hope so.." he said standing up picking her up with him. He barely had a mind to retrieve the fragments of the Shikon no Tama that had lain beneath the baboon skin a few yards away before he headed back to the village. But he collected them, and at the same time kept his mate in his arms, not an easy task but he managed it. He also pulled the Tetsiaga from the ground replacing it in its sheath. He was soar but all of his wounds were already sealed and healing even as they walked to the village. Kagome cried herself to sleep against him as his swaying walk lulled her into a deep slumber in their soul. He wandered into Keade's hut just as Miroku was leaving to look for them. He smiled at his friends and would have hugged them had Kagome not been passed out and in Inuyasha's arms.  
  
"I'm so glad you two made it!" he said quitely but excited. Inuyasha nodded and gave him a tired smile. He walked into the hut and saw Kohaku leaning over Sango and nearly jumped out of his skin. He pulled Kagome close to him and was about to run. Miroku's hand fell on his shoulder. "It's ok Inuyasha. With Naraku dead he is under no more mind control. He is himself." The monk saw the hanyou relax but kept a tight hold on his sleeping mate. Inuyasha turned to Miroku.  
  
"Is everyone alive then?" Miroku nodded.  
  
"Yes we are all alive and well. Naraku had brought along his hell wasps so I couldn't use my wind tunnel and Kohaku faced off with Sango and she was hurt while he was under his mind control. Luckily Shippo had climbed the tree over head with a rock and jumped onto his head knocking him out after he had wounded Sango badly and was about to kill her. After he woke up he was himself and I saw no reason to keep him from her since Naraku was now dead," he answered the hanyou. "Is Kagome ok? She looks like she took quite a beating..." Inuyasha sighed.  
  
"Kagura separated us with two tornado's that took her to Naraku and threw me into the forest. I raced back to get her but Kagura tried to block my way. She met a swift end and I got with in rage in time to see that bastard kiss her. I went mad and drove the tetsiaga into the ground and let myself go full demon to save her. He was about to blood bond with her when I nailed the asshole. But he let loose that poison gas that sent me reeling and somehow Kagome got the strength to shoot an arrow with enough power to dissolve the bastard inside out."  
  
"Wow that is quite courageous of her," Miroku said. "The power drain alone could have killed her being injured."  
  
"Yeah, but she saved us all Miroku. She defeated him with one arrow to the heart." He shifted Kagome against himself and lifted his hand up to Miroku's now healed one and placed about 50 shards into his hand. "Those came from his body. Keep them for me while I tend to her." Miroku nodded. He then walked over to where Kohaku, Keade and Sango were. The demon slayer was still unconscious and Keade seemed to be finishing up with her. He made a quick sweep of his senses sniffing the girl on the floor satisfied she was ok he turned to Keade and Kohaku. He sat down on the floor still cradling Kagome.  
  
"BaBa, I need some cream for her bruises," he said shortly. Keade looked at him.  
  
"Is the child ok?"   
  
"Ya baba you think I wouldn't bring her back in one peice??" he asked pointedly. Keade took this as a good sign and got up to get the rub for her bruises. He looked at Kohaku. "Boy, you are yourself then?" he didn't give him a chance to answer. "Good! I won't have to hear Sango whine over you or have to chase my sword down cuz she is gonna save you or some shit," he grumped. It was thinly veiled. Kirara was nestled up against her side asleep with Shippo resting on her. Kohaku didn't know what exactly to make of the rude hanyou.  
  
"uh..."  
  
"Don't mind Inuyasha," Miroku said patting the boy on the back. "He's just glad we're all alive and that your ok to for Sango's sake." Inuyasha "fehed" his indignation at being read so well and Kohaku looked at the monk.  
  
"Is that what all that was about?" he asked Inuyasha directly. The half demon refused to meet his eyes. Miroku popped in.  
  
"That means yes," he chuckled. Inuyasha stood as Keade reached to hand him a small jar. He nodded his thanks to the old woman and grumbled on the way out about humans reading into things that aren't there. Keade and Miroku just shook there head and Kohaku knew he had a lot to get used to.  
  
Inuyasha went back to their room they shared with his mate and laid her on their bed gently. He removed her clothes carefully trying to make sure he didn't hurt her at all knowing she was soar. He let her sleep on where her mind was safe for now and her body was also. He rubbed her back and neck thoroughly with the pungent ointment. He then decided to just do her arms and legs too, to make sure he didn't miss any soar spots come morning. He knew that this would help her heal faster and after a night of his concentrated healing with her she would feel much better come morning. After he was done he stripped also and crawled in behind her covering them with a thin blanket and wrapped his body around hers and fell into a deep sleep. The night was filled with warmth and healing as their joined soul healed the hanyou's body and helped to heal Kagome's also.  
  
Inuyasha woke slowly to the sound of the house coming alive in the front room as Keade made breakfast. He couldn't believe he had slept well passed sunrise in such a deep state. Kagome next to him showed signs of waking to as she turned over and snuggled into him. He wrapped his arms around her. "Good morning my soul," he nuzzled the top of her head. She groaned. "Morning soul," she mumbled. Inuyasha chuckled deep in his chest making her giggled a little to. She gave up the fight to stay asleep and opened her eyes to look at him. The events of the previous day once again came back to her as she let herself wake up completely. She quickly shut her eyes and gritted her teeth against the onslaught of images and feelings. Her hands suddenly gripped his like a vice. Inuyasha felt the immediate change and rising fear and sat up quickly letting her body rest against his as she straddled his hips. He pulled her against him tightly.  
  
"Come on now Kagome," he said to her softly. "It's ok love, its ok...come on now calm down..." Her mind wasn't responding to his voice and her breathing was becoming erratic. "Damn..." She was gonna pass out at this rate. He put one arm around he securely and pulled her chin up to look at him with the other hand. "KAGOME!" he said sternly. Her eyes shot open and suddenly focused on him. He compelled her with everything in him thru there link and his voice. She looked into his eyes and tears built then flowed down her cheeks and she began to cry. He pulled her back against him as she began to sob. He rocked her and she began to speak. "oh god Inuyasha, I can't believe he kissed me... and he was so close to...a sob caught in her throat. He rocked her softly.  
  
"I know love. But I wouldn't have ever let that happen my soul. Its all over now you did it remember? I'm so proud of you mate. So proud." he told her with a soft smile. She returned his smile slightly and took a deep breath. He could feel her calm down somewhat but her tears still fell silently and cleansed her soul and his it seemed as he sat against the wall and stroked her back and hair. "It's ok love. I'm here," her told her quietly. "Just let it all go..." and with that he closed his eyes and let her release the pent up frustrations from the day previous. In the front room Keade decided to serve breakfast to her patient and an impatient kit before he nagged her ear off.  
  
The morning wore on slowly as Kagome finally fell asleep again her body still intertwined with Inuyasha's as he sat against the wall. He still absentmindedly rubbed her lower back in small circles as his other arm held her close to him. And Sango was sitting up and talking with the others in the front room. Inuyasha could hear Miroku telling Sango about what had happened the other day to them. The worry in her voice made him sad. He knew he would be up with Kagome soon enough and she could see for herself that she was ok as well as vice versa. Eventually Kagome woke up mid morning feeling less shaky than before wanting to see the rest of her family especially once she heard what had happened to Sango. She put on a fresh outfit that was a light summer dress and waited for Inuyasha to dress. He knew even with Naraku dead she wouldn't feel safe without him by her for a few days maybe even a month. He know that she would need to build up her courage and security again at her own speed. Until then he would be no more than a three steps from her out side the house. Inuyasha had also warned her Kohaku was there and finally freed of the mind control. She looked relieved but worried still considering he still had a jewel shard in his back she needed to complete the jewel.  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha finally appeared in the main room and caught everyone's eye. Sango looked directly at the young miko and smiled Kagome ran over to her and hugged her gently Inuyasha not to far behind her. He had stayed not to steps behind her from where she now sat and he followed suit as he had done months prior. Miroku sighed a little giving Inuyasha an knowing look. The hanyou's eyes flittered to his a moment and then back to Kagome. The monk had suspected that yesterday had had such an effect on his friend but he had hoped it hadn't set her to far back. He figured that only time would tell, Inuyasha thought the same. Kagome and Sango began to chatter lightly clearly avoiding the other day's events. Both had painful memories that they would rather forget at and in private with there mates work thru when they were safe. Shippo had come an jumped in Kagome's lap after she had sat down falling asleep immediately calling her mama before dozing off. She and Sango both giggled. Kohaku watched the two girls talk and begin to loosen up and laugh as if it was the most natural thing to be among the men and be healing which it was. Kagome looked over to Kohaku and smiled at him then back at Sango saying how glad she was he was back, as if he had only been gone on some trip. The men watched them with a careful eye. Miroku sat down next to Sango and wrapped an arm around her lower back and let her lean into him. Inuyasha smiled at him smugly but Miroku just ignored him and Kagome seemed clueless and Sango just happy. She didn't even miss a beat when Inuyasha picked her up and put her in his lap.   
  
After lunch they were again sitting around talking. But everyone was starting to talk about what happened the day before and everyone seemed to tense up but they had problems that still needed to be solved most urgently was Kohaku and the purification of the shards.  
  
Miroku stood up and walked over to Kagome and kneeled in front of her. "Kagome, I kept these for Inuyasha from when he returned yesterday. We all had a feeling you would be sleeping thru the day. But here they are. They need your touch to make them pure again...." he told her. She looked scared. They had been in Naraku's body. Inuyasha whispered in her ear.  
  
"We can't do this with out you, beloved. I'm right here they wont hurt you. I am right here." With that she put her hands out cupped together but shaking. Inuyasha brought his up to hold hers and she relaxed as they all fell into her palms. He helped her close her hands over them. She then closed her eyes and he felt her magic flare deep inside him. It sought out the demon menace inside the crystal. It recognized Inuyasha's soul because it was the same as Kagome's so it drove out the evil energy and was replace with her purifying magic. She opened her eyes and looked down at her hands. Inuyasha had been right they hadn't hurt her and they were all purified as all the others had been she had gotten in there travels. She then pulled the shard about her neck and put it in hand with the others and concentrated again. This time all the shards had fused together leaving a nearly hole jewel when he opened her hands. She looked up at everyone watching her. " Now all we need is 4 more shards. Kouga's and....." she looked at Kohaku but didn't say anything. Sango sat up suddenly and screamed.  
  
"NO!! NO!! You cant!! NO please!!!!" Kagome looked at Sango. And got up to hug her.  
  
"Sango.... its ok I promise...I figured out we could wish him to be restored to life since he isn't really dead. He has his soul and his mind he is unchanged the jewel could do it!" She told the hysterical demon slayer.   
  
"You...you would do that? Use the only wish to bring my brother back?" Kagome glanced back at Inuyasha for support. He nodded then looked at Miroku and he nodded. Even Shippo patted her leg from next to her saying he thought it was a good idea too.   
  
"YES! You see we all agree. Inuyasha doesn't want to be full demon any more Shippo had his revenge for his parents long ago and we have adopted him and Miroku has found a girl he can marry and now has time to raise a family with out fear of being consumed by his wind tunnel. It can make Kohaku better and then the jewel will be nothing but a glass ball and it wont be able to harm anyone anymore." Sango hugged her and she looked over at her brother. Kohaku was in shock. He had heard the whole conversation and watched the women and the consensus of the whole group.   
  
"You mean you are gonna get the whole jewel including the shard that Naraku put in my back and I'll still be able to live?" he asked incredulously. Sango nodded and beckoned him to come to her. Everyone smiled and he turned to bow to them all. "I can never thank you all enough..." he said with tears in his eyes.  
  
Inuyasha piped up, "Now all we have to do is get the one's from Kouga..." he started in a snarl. Kagome sighed.  
  
"Yes that is our only challenge left," she added to her mates statement.  
  
"Yes," Miroku agreed. "But best undertaken when we are all healed and can all travel. You never know if you will need all of us after your last....meeting," he said. Inuyasha growled at the memory and Kagome snuggled into him. He hugged her tightly and rocked slightly calming her fears.  
  
"Alright monk, we wait. We have time now anyhow the boy isn't going any where for the time being. OH that wolf if he give me any reason to finish his ass off believe me, I will enjoy it." The whole group chuckled and settled back into their comfortable positions thinking about dinner. The journey would be easy to get the last of the shards and then there would be plenty of time to just live.  
  
They day rolled on as they planned and talked. But the last few shards would hold for a few days. And so they concentrated on more pleasant things as dinner was served and night settled upon the family in the cozy dwelling talking of the future and dreaming of the freedom to finally live.  
  
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Well thats if for this chappy sorry for the long wait! Lifes been hectic I'm expecting my second child now. And life never seems to let me have a break i have been laid up for a few weeks after falling down the stairs at the store OY! Well any how review!!! another chappy as soon as i can promise!! hope you liked it! Later all, LJ 


	7. Inuyasha the Valient

Hello everyone sorry for the wait AGAIN. I know I'm horrible but so much to do so little time finally I have time to get back to the last chapter of the story!! Anyhow here it is hope you like the ending. My next job is to go and write a prequel for Purple Rose's stories that should be fun I'll post that one too. Here goes.  
  
Disclaimer: Did I say I Owned him???? Jeez leave me alone. LOL  
  
Inuyasha the Lovingly Valiant and Kouga the Eternally Dense  
  
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A week passed since the last battle and the unusual family was now recouping. Sango had laid still for three days talking with her brother and laying in Miroku's lap convalescing. Miroku took it upon himself to see to all her care after Keade's initial treatment. He took great care to change her bandage frequently and help her exercise her limb to keep it limber and strong while she was laid up. The same night that the final battle ended Miroku had asked the demon slayer to marry him and she had happily said yes. They had sealed their engagement with a kiss and the good news was spread the next morning much to Kagome's contentment.   
  
In the same week Kagome and Inuyasha had been doing some healing of their own. Kagome had been plagued by nightmares for days afterward but as more time was put in-between her and the incident the better she slept and the more secure she felt. The only thing keeping her back right now was the threat of having to see Kouga again to get his three shards. She had begun to become more confident in the house leaving the room and walking about with out the need for her hanyou shadow. But outside was a different story. She wanted to resolve the last and final disturbing confrontation she knew she had to make then she thought she could truly begin to relax again. Inuyasha had been her port in the storms of recent life that could have put any normal person over the edge but their love was stronger than tragedy and circumstances. This was their joined soul's salvation because true love conquers all.  
  
This morning was the morning they would set out for the clan of wolves in the mountains. They ate breakfast slowly while they all planned for the journey and all the variables during. The only thing left to think about now was the well. "Kagome," Miroku said thoughtfully. "Have you given any thought to what can be done about the well once the jewel is gone?" Kagome sat for a moment and thought.   
  
"I honestly don't think it was dependant on the jewel to begin with," she replied. Everyone looked surprised.   
  
"Then what on hell could have pulled you here Kagome???" Inuyasha asked incredulously voicing everyone's thoughts. Kagome blushed.  
  
"Fate...Destiny..." she said quietly. Inuyasha looked at her for a minute and began to catch on. "Inuyasha," she turned to him. "I had been in that well house countless times as a little girl playing hide and go seek and helping Grampa clean it out. It was just that one time I finally got pulled in by that centipede demon. It was just meant to be. The jewel was all part of my destiny but it goes far beyond the shattering and regrouping of the jewel. I was meant to be here with you guys and to be Inuyasha's mate. Life has its own timing for everything. And so here I am where I'm supposed to be with my family 500 years in the past." She finished and everyone looked at her as if she was nuts. After everything that had happened and after she got there after everything that had happened to all of them. She looked into there faces and read their expressions correctly. "I know we have all been thru a lot these last years. I know we have all lost a lot of friends and family close to us because of Naraku and the jewel. But many people suffer the same way and at least in all this we are where we were meant to be in a self made family....with each other." Inuyasha scooted over to her and wrapped his arms around her putting his breakfast on the floor. Shippo watch the conversation tentatively. His adopted parents discussed things like this often where they would end up hugging each other as if either could not live with out it. He was getting old enough to read the signals and decided to keep out of this one too.  
  
"So you think even without the jewel you will be able to go see your other family?" he asked in her ear.   
  
"Yes I know I will Inu and even if it does close up we will be in the future right? So in not to long I'll see them again even if I'm a little older. We would have known better than to fool with the natural order of things if we made it all the way to the future," she told him with a small smile.  
  
"You are very smart my love. No matter what I used to say." Kagome giggled and as did everyone else. "They know your in good hands here no matter what. I will always take care of you my mate." She nodded and leaned into him and he kissed the top of her head and they all began to eat again. There was a light discussion on travel directions. They decided to go the same way the did the first time they had met him. And after breakfast they set off to go confront the Wolf tribe leader.  
  
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Kagome rode on Inuyasha's back in a half doze not wanting to think about where they were going or why. In her mind she pretended she was on just another shard hunt. The group was uncharacteristically quiet. Inuyasha let Kagome sink into her light sleep that protected her frame of mind while they traveled and kept the fear for her at bay. Extreme conditions called for unusual methods to keep the peace in her mind. He could feel the thoughts swirl in her head as she occasionally thought of what they were heading for. He decided to start the groups banter up to keep things as normal as possible. Inuyasha threw a look at Miroku that he read 'do something.' Miroku thought a moment. He briefly thought about stroking Sango's back side but he had given that up months back when things had started to go awry. And as far as Shippo and Inuyasha's squabbles were that of a father with a strong willed child. The disrespect and name calling had disappeared into the past the night they mated. What was normal any more for the group?  
  
Miroku thought long and hard for a minute. He and Inuyasha still bickered good naturedly underneath it all. Shippo still ran about asking questions and generally just being annoying just as any child did. Sango and Miroku had become quite the pair kissing and sitting closely at meals and sharing a room. They had decided to get married after the jewel was complete long ago and so they waited to consummate it at that time to avoid any children being brought into the maylay. Much had changed in their small family however they were all better and closer for all the transformations.   
  
Before Miroku could thing of something to rib the hanyou about Shippo jumped upon his mothers head and started jumping up and down noticing a small rabbit on the side of the road. Kagome was instantly awake and took hold of the small kit. He pointed excitedly to the right at the base of a tree ten feet in front of the group. Kagome laughed lightly and looked down at Inuyasha's sideways glance. He stopped far enough away from the tiny creature not to scare it and let Kagome down. She deposited their adopted son into Inuyasha's arms to go see the white ball of fur. As Kagome walked the remaining 5 feet to the animal Miroku came put behind the hanyou and put a hand on his shoulder. Sango he left to get off Kirara by herself as she was strong enough to do so and she preferred to be self sufficient.  
  
"She seems to be remaining calm," the monk commented. Inuyasha sighed.  
  
"You do know how good she is at hiding things from the outside world Miroku. She is not as calm as she looks. But she is taking this better than any of us have reason to expect of her." The half demon turned his head to Miroku to make his point. The monk nodded. Inuyasha turned his gaze on Shippo while also watching his mate closely. "Shippo, you are starting to get older now and stronger. Remember, you mama's safety is the most important thing this trip. No matter what happens you and Miroku, Sango, and Kirara have to keep help me her safe." Sango had just come up to the rest of the group Kirara in tow in her smaller form just as she heard this.   
  
"Ok Inu-papa," Shippo said as his papa's eyes fell on Kagome. She stood not inches from the rabbit now with her hand out stretched to let it get to know her. It instantly smelled her hand and hopped toward her. Inuyasha watched with silent joy as he felt the tightness in her chest ease with the small distraction. Everyone watched her in a quiet anticipation. She seemed to have a way with animals in the forest as well as with people. Kagome slowly picked it up and turned to walk over to the group. She had a small smile on her face as she petted it in her arms secure and warm. When she was facing the group she looked up and let Shippo and Sango take turns petting it also. Inuyasha even ran the backs of his fingers down its back. Miroku did also at Kagome's insistence but Kirara rightfully kept her distance.  
  
"Inu, its just a baby right?" she asked looking at him. He nodded.  
  
"Yes, love." Kagome looked perplexed.   
  
"Where's its mommy then?" she questioned looking about. Inuyasha listened for a minute then sniffed. He smiled.  
  
"In that bush about two feet behind you," he grinned. Kagome laughed as a small white head popped out from under the large bush she knelt and let the her small burden go and they all watched it hop and disappear under the bush with its mother. Kagome stood up, and as she did two arm wrapped around her shoulders tenderly. The girl leaned into the embrace happily. Miroku moved back a few steps bringing Sango and Shippo with him to let them have a moment. Kirara changed into her larger form to carry Sango, who although was mostly healed, didn't need to over exert her still healing body.  
  
"Inuyasha, we're nearing the mountain pass aren't we?" She queried closing her eyes. Her mate sighed in her ear.  
  
"Yes, my soul we will be there by night fall." His tone was deep and almost a purr. They had already stopped and eaten lunch that day. Kagome looked up thru the trees canopy that shaded the path and noticed the sun was making its way into the afternoon. He let himself begin to purr softly letting the sound reverberate into her body thru her back that was pressed to his chest. He felt her begin to relax and let him take her weight onto his body. She laid her head on his shoulder which gave him excellent access to nip the sensitive flesh of her neck. 'It's odd,' he thought in passing, 'She reacts so much like an Inu mate would...' But then he realized was the other half of his soul and he knew why her reactions were so close to what they were supposed to be. After a few moments he could tell she was going to go completely limp so he lifted his mate into his arms and just let her drift as he purred deeply. Inuyasha had just recently discovered that his purring had this affect on a mate after Mioga had suggested it after one of her nightmares after defeating Naraku. He had sorely wished he had sought Mioga's guidance about such things months before also. He looked behind him at the waiting rest of the group and with a nod of his head Inuyasha began to walked toward the mountain pass.   
  
He let Kagome float thru the almost meditative state Kagome rested in. Once they were well into the incline Kagome started to stir and come to her senses in Inuyasha's arms at his souls prodding. The young miko groaned and snuggled into her mate. Inuyasha knew it was no longer safe to allow her to rest where she was. He stopped his soft rumbling deep in his chest and she looked up at him. "Kagome can you walk now love?" he asked.   
  
"Yeah I probably should if we are getting that close." She didn't even have to ask why it seems she could always pick up on his thoughts and reasons specially when their soul was communicating with both halves at the urging of one or the other. He put her down with a kiss to her forehead and took her hand. They started walking thru the familiar terrain. The progress was good but grim to the small family traveling to the wolf clan's lands. It was getting to be dinner time but none of them felt safe enough to actually stop and eat. For this Kagome had packed some easily eaten on the move things such as granola bars and chips along with bottles of water. Kirara had shouldered her back this journey making it easier for Kagome and Inuyasha to be close on the way up.   
  
The sun was setting low in the sky now as Inuyasha heard the first signs of the scouts in the surrounding woods. Inuyasha pulled Kagome to his side with is arm and then put one hand was on the Tetsiaga(sp?). He was weary of the wolf demon even after his apparent acceptance of their union. He didn't trust him as far as he could throw him which was far enough to cause sufficient damage to a body. Kagome felt very afraid all the sudden as the air seemed to change. She could feel two shards near by only a few miles away and the demon energies so thickly deposited in the high valley were wearing on her nerves. The building tension began to fray her hard won composure. However with all the stress she kept all of her threatening emotions and fear under tight reign. Suddenly there was a rustling up above Inuyasha's and Kagome's head which he had know was coming but when he heard bare feet slip off the branch to close to his mate he pulled her against his chest and freed the his sword in one fluid lightning quick motion that was done even before the intruder hit the ground. As the other demon's feet found the earth, the tetsiaga was already aimed at his throat. If he moved wrong now he would have had his throat slit thru and thru. Kagome had her head nestled against his read overcoat with his left arm pulling her to him tightly. Miroku saw the sudden movements of Inuyasha and got in to a fighting stance. Sango remained on Kirara at Miroku's instance in any battles this time because of her injuries. Shippo remained curled in Sango's arms as she wouldn't let him down. Three more demons dropped from the trees surround the family group from all sides.   
  
It was obvious they were wolf demons. Inuyasha knew it by how they smelled or stunk depending on who the nose belonged to. That and they looked just like Kouga and the few others of his wolf pack she had come into contact with over the years. The one in front of Inuyasha was taller than Kouga but skinnier and seemed to be the leader of the scouting party. The two to the back were shorter but bulkier almost obese but there stature held power. And other was a younger man in his teens as if he was new to the whole search and protect mission. He was green and they knew it. But the other three could pose a real problem with an exterminator down and Kagome wrapped up against Inuyasha. They all looked slightly the same with identical colored long black shaggy hair and skin clothing but there faces told them apart. The leader of the bunch who had almost dropped on top of Kagome held his position at t he end of her mate's sword and began to speak. "You are Inuyasha." It was a statement not a question. "Kouga told us to watch for you these weeks. We ought to strike you down now for wounding our leader. But he demands we bring you as guests for the lady's sake." And with that he actually bowed and the other three did also. Inuyasha kept on guard he didn't like the way they were acting like Kagome was their leaders mate. He narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Fine lets get the hell there then. And no one touches MY MATE!" He looked around at each pointedly. The leader spoke again.  
  
"If we did we would have to answer to Kouga and to him I am loyal and there for to his....friend Kagome." He chose this word carefully as if it was foreign. But with that he back off from his sword and turned to lead them to where Kouga was at the time.   
  
The group walked surrounded on all sides by the four from the wolf clan. Inuyasha simply carried Kagome close to his body while holding his sword close to his body still unsheathed. He felt unsafe with so many about loyal to another who wanted Kagome, and as a mate rightfully so. Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippo fell into a tight circle around the two providing Inuyasha with sufficient cover for his backside. And in side his protective embrace Kagome stayed very quiet but was keeping all emotions tightly under constraint somewhere deep inside her to keep a level head. She remained amazingly calm considering the circumstances and the 20 minute walk let her settle her nerves a bit into an angry pose to face off with Kouga. The greeting had upset her and Inuyasha. The fact that Inuyasha was practically seething and she could feel it was fueling her rising anger. Inuyasha felt her getting mad and smiled a little he knew that her growing fit of temper would give her the strength to get thru this along with her knowing he would never let anything happen to her.  
  
Kouga was resting deep in his caved home in his private part of the clan's dwelling. One of the other scouts had told him that the jewel hunting group was on there way in to see him. He had taken the news with a smug grin and went about his business as usual. From where he was perched in his bedding he saw them coming toward him thru the cave. He noticed Kagome first of all wrapped in the mutt's embrace which angered him. He then saw that the monk flanked the Inu hanyou on the left and the demon exterminator was riding the cat demon to his right. The small fox demon he had encountered on his first abduction of Kagome was up on the shoulder of the exterminator giving him an evil glare. The wolf clan's leader decided to ignore the pups impudence as they approached. Inuyasha the teams unspoken but always fallowed leader spoke in a low dangerous tone to the other demon.  
  
"Kouga, we have come for the shards." Kagome, Kouga saw, readjusted her grip on Inuyasha's neck to turn her head towards the on looking wolf demon. There was anger in her face. Kouga was taken a back but remained unfazed to the outside world.   
  
"So I see mutt face. What makes you think I'll give um to you?" he asked pointedly.  
  
"Well, I'll have to take them if you don't for starters." Kagome nudged Inuyasha and looked down at Kouga's arm that was supposed to have been missing but was not only back but in nice working order. Inuyasha put her down knowing she wanted to be released to her feet. But she didn't move an inch from Inuyasha.   
  
"I see you have used one of the shards to reattach you arm Kouga." Kagome said to him in an impolite voice. Kouga looked at her.  
  
"Yes Kagome, my dear. It works good as new no thanks to that mongrel who has you in his arms. He cut it clean off last time. The shards come in very handy." He said this flexing his right arm as if to impress Kagome. She snubbed her nose at him. He was still unfazed. Kagome's anger gave her courage unlike she had ever had before.  
  
"You shut your mouth wolf," she spat as she took a step toward him. Inuyasha put his arm around her waist to keep him near her. Kouga gave her a feral grin. To this Inuyasha growled.   
  
"Give us the damn shards so we can get the hell outta here bastard," Inuyasha rumbled. Kouga never lost his grin.  
  
"No, and you are gonna leave but Kagome isn't," the wolf demon said. Kagome was taken off balance by this and backed into Inuyasha pressing her body to his. But her anger hadn't deserted her yet and it was still rising as Inuyasha wrapped his arm securely around her waist tightly.  
  
"I am going home with my MATE, Kouga. And we need those shards now!" Kagome was not being polite any more. She was about to see red and Inuyasha's secure hold was giving her more courage. The rest of there small group flanking Inuyasha was remaining quite trying to let the couple handle the rival mate for Kagome. They could tell this was not there fight but they were not going to let Inuyasha be taken from the back by surprise at all. They would have rather interfered on Kagome's behalf as her family then let anything happen to either. Kouga's grin twisted into an irritated expression. He suddenly lunged at Inuyasha and Kagome in one swift motion and Inuyasha brought his sword up he still hand in his right hand unsheathed and block his incoming strike breaking off all his sharp claws on his new right arm. Kouga howled in pain and anger as he landed a foot in front of them.  
  
"Then we will do this the other way," he said suddenly calming. He turned his back on them and looked into a dark corner of the cavern. An old wolf demon came toward the her leader walking slowly on her aging limbs. "Elder," he addressed. "By your wisdom I have found a way to take the human as my mate," he said to her and then turned to Inuyasha who still held Kagome. The others were on edge now after the attempt at his snatching Kagome. Miroku eyed the gathering mass of clan tribe about them as did Sango. Shippo was now on Kirara's head watching the stand off intently make sure nothing happened to his mama. "Inuyasha, I, a rival suitor, invoke my right as rival for Kagome, the Hell's Challenge."   
  
There was a collective intake of breath from the wolf clan standing about and that of Sango and Inuyasha. Before Inuyasha could speak Sango was off Kirara and headed toward the front of their little pack. "Have you gone insane!!! That has not been invoked in centuries!! It's so old that it should have been banned long ago. The need to used it is so rare though I suppose no one has gotten around to it! You are a sick demon, Kouga. I hope when Inuyasha pulls thru this, just so that Kagome sends you there!" Sango shouted at him in a rage. Miroku went to her and pulled her back to Kirara to stand beside the large cat a safe distance from the wolf demon leader. Kagome looked pale. She had no clue what was going on and Miroku and Shippo didn't know exactly what a hells challenge was but both knew it wasn't good.   
  
"You weak humans think its so cruel, but this is demon business. AS for it not being called upon in so long well, never has the demon world seen a bond as strong as these two have melded into. I care little for there "one soul" bonding only that if I try any other way Kagome will die. This is the only way to break a soul bond and you know this demon hunter. And with you knowledge of this you should not be surprised. She will be mine all dog face has to do is fail. The one soul will return to her body with Inuyasha's half dormant for a full life time allowing her to have no memory of him so that I can take her as my own." Kouga explained this in a snarl. Inuyasha couldn't believe it. He had forgotten that this ritual existed....  
  
"Kouga," Inuyasha said with an edge of sick humor. "You have gone completely fucking crazy dumbass. What makes you think in the 7 hells I'd accept this challenge? Allow Kagome to sleep in this hell hole under god knows what herbs just so you have a chance to split our union for a lifetime? You are more of a bastard then I thought you were. Just like coming after a piece of meat eh? Well there is nothing in this life or EVER that would separate us. You don't even give a flying fuck what she wants any more." Kagome listen to what was going on and was getting a very good picture of what was gonna happen if this went thru and she was getting scared, not just scared but pissed off.  
  
"no..." she started to whisper. "NO!! NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!! KOUGA!!! YOU ASSHOLE!! A thousand times NO!!! I reject you with everything in me I do not want to be with you. You care nothing for me! I will not be your play thing, your conquered PET! You can go to hell yourself!" Inuyasha rubbed her belly with the tips of his fingers telling her it was ok that he was there. Kouga looked at her with distain but was unswayed.   
  
"It doesn't matter if you don't want me bitch. You are good as mine. And you Dog boy if you don't agree to this..."he lowered his voice. "Then you will not get the shards, and I will make every attempt in my power to steal her from you. If I can't have her then no one will. And the jewel will remain unfinished still a threat hanging over your heads till you die by trying to get the last of the shards or me taking her from you Inuyasha. I will be relentless and never stop. Take the challenge. If you pull out of it then I am good as dead any how by your mates hands, since she decides my fate. She is guaranteed 100% safety here while she sleeps so her soul can go with you. You know I cannot touch her or see her till she awakens or you return. That and if I did touch her I would forfeit and you would I would not have a chance to challenge you again since it is only allowed once a life time. If you don't do this you will never have peace..." he promised with a hiss. Inuyasha looked down at Kagome and then back at his family. He was unsure for the first time. With the Shikon no tama hanging over there heads and the threat of Kouga constantly now going to try and kill his mate he was being backed into a corner. With out the jewel Kohaku died and any demon could start getting shards again from Kouga and then come after Kagome. Kagome knew all the sudden he was considering this horrid challenge and he was sending her all of his thoughts and feelings as he sorted thru the mess in his mind. Kagome knew what he was thinking and feeling because she felt the same as she stood their against him trying to deny this atrocity of reality that stared her in the face named Kouga and hells challenge. He squeezed her and she gripped his hand around her mid section tightly in return. It was acceptance by both that this was the only way. Inuyasha looked at Kouga open his eyes.  
  
"Prepare to die Kouga. I will take your challenge and when I return you are dead." Kagome turned into him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. He sheathed his sword no longer in immediate danger and held her snuggly back. There family came in closer laying there hands on there shoulders, and Shippo jumping in the middle of them hugging both. Both his adopted parents wrapped him in there hug.  
  
"Fine." Kouga said smugly. "In the morning we begin then. You have the night to say goodbye to dog breath and think of your new life with me," he gloated. Kagome finally broke. She began to cry softly into his shirt as Inuyasha brought his gaze up to Kouga's with hatred burning thru him. This was it the final test of there bond and strength. This would be tough but he vowed then and there that no matter what he would make it back to his love, his soul. There was no room for failure now.  
  
Kouga had commanded an underling to lead them to a small cave off to the right of the main one that served as a guest accommodations. Kagome had been reduced to a sobbing frightened little girl in his arms at the hand of Kouga's callous words and actions. He knew it would be a long night that he wished would last for there life time and never end. Come morning their would be hell to face and he feared not for himself but Kagome's fragile mind and heart. They took there supplies into the cave and began the ritual of setting up camp minus the participation of Kagome and Inuyasha. It was getting latter into the early evening already getting quite dark. Sango had spread out Kagome's sleeping bag near one of the caves walls so that Inuyasha could sit and cradle Kagome at the same time against the rock back rest.   
  
Inuyasha had walked into the cavern carrying Kagome against his lithe frame. All of her strength and courage had abandoned her when she had silently conceded to Inuyasha that they had to go ahead with the challenge. When he saw the bed roll of theirs rolled out he nodded to Sango in a thankful gesture and sat down taking Kagome in his lap. She wrapped her self around him straddling his hips resting her chest against his. He wrapped his arms around her tightly wishing they could melt into one being as there soul had. He stroked her hair with one and had the other around her waist. Her cries wracked her body becoming more desperate. The pain in her was overwhelming even him as he could not stand leaving her here with only the rest of their family for protection in this wolves den. Not after all she'd been thru. The only part he was thankful for was that she would be asleep the whole time he was gone and their collective soul would be in his body where he could at least protect that part of her. Tears began to streak his cheeks coming to rest softly in her hair as he began to rock her.  
  
"Oh my Kagome, its ok love. Its ok... shhhhh be still for me love we have to talk..." His words were futile in her current panic state. Inuyasha realized when she didn't respond that she was far beyond his words but not their soul. He pulled her deep into the warmth of there soul in the deep amber glow that was pure untainted emotion and spirit. His love and hers abounded there and was so complete that nothing touched them here. In his chest he started his deep rumbling that resembled a purr that seemed to calm her better than any words. As suddenly as her tears started they stopped as she entered a trance like state against her mate. The rumbling sensation and the pull into the golden warmth pulled her from her terror into the state of just being one. And ever so slowly he pulled her thru the mire to consciousness holding fast to her being. Thru the ascent to the real world the feelings came rushing back to her but at a pace she was better equipped to deal with since Inuyasha was acting as her shield. His strength awed her once again a he not only took on his fear and emotions he acted as a filter for her. She opened her eyes to look up into his tear stained face. She rubbed her thumb across his check wiping the moisture from his skin.   
  
"I love you." Her voice whispered it and her heart roared it. He let her see a small smile meant only for her.   
  
"I love you too my soul," he answered in a whisper and roar also. "Are you with me now?" he asked her softly. She nodded to him and put her head on his shoulder. "Good, cuz we need to talk..." He inhaled deeply. Kagome nodded to him again. He continued to stroke her back and purr keeping he calm. The only thing that interrupted his deep rumbling was when he talked. "Kagome, tomorrow's going to be.... You just have to be strong for me mate. Like you never have been before. You will have to trust me in everything. No doubts. No fear. No hesitation. Can you do that Kagome?" His mate looked into his eyes with slight anger.  
  
"How could you ask that after everything?? You know I trust you more than anything. I don't doubt you or fear you. I don't hesitate to do anything for you. You know that!!" she told him forcefully. He smiled at her softly.  
  
"Kagome, you must not fear anything, death, Kouga, or what ever comes. Do what I say without hesitation or doubt, and be strong in what lies ahead." Kagome was silent for a while. It seemed that even as Inuyasha began to let her deal with the full extent of what was going on, her fear and anxiety began to decline. He felt something more akin to peace and certainty overcome her. When she started to feel reassured so did Inuyasha and his confidence grew with hers. Suddenly she understood what he was saying. With one soul he would need both of them to conquer whatever waited for them tomorrow. Being one was much more than loving someone....it was being linked in everyway and aspect of yourself. He needed her now... with everything he had done for her now was the time to pull it together for both there sakes. And he had given her the foundation to find the strength and she suddenly found it when she really needed it, now. With this change in her Inuyasha began to explain what would happen on the marrow. "My soul, when morning comes, we will have done everything already to become as close as one soul in to bodies can be. And then they will demand you drink a concoction of herbs that will make you go into a deep sleep. In this state it induces our soul to become whole in my body. Kinda like when the which tried to steal your soul long ago....." there was not even a cringed. Kagome just nodded against his shoulder again. Her new strength was unwavering. Inuyasha kept stroking her hair. "OK then you will still be breathing and living essentially but I have to have our hole soul to go into hell. There is a special gate in these mountains deep inside a valley in a cave. It is guarded by a dragon that is immortal and indestructible. He allows only those rightfully challenged into the gates. Here you will be with me and your body will be with Miroku and Sango. They can protect you while you sleep. But the essence that makes you....you will be with me." Kagome broke into his speech.  
  
"Yes that is what I want. That is how it should be always. I don't have to like it but I can be there. I will be strong and I will be with you."  
  
"I know this is a lot to ask considering the last months..." She interrupted again.  
  
"No nothing is to much to ask. Not now. Not any more. You seen me thru hell....Now I will see you thru too....my soul," she whispered. Again he smiled. He had no clue what he had done to worthy of such devotion and love but he was glad he had it now and always.  
  
"Alright my love. There are seven gates in hell. And beyond each one there lies a separate challenge, so there is seven in all. I don't know what they are. It's not been done in so long that there was no one to tell what lies beyond the doors. All I know is that it will test the limits of our love and bond. It will test my ability to keep and be true to my mate. They are all different challenges and none will be easy. After the challenges are over if whoever makes it thru them is returned to the side of his beloved mate wherever she lie and her half of the shared soul is returned to the female mate. And the male rival who invoked the challenge, is at the female's mercies. She has the right to take his life if her mate succeeds for putting a true bond thru well hell. This is the only way to truly subdue a soul merged mated bond. Because if the male mate fails then the life of the male is forfeit and the whole soul is returned to the female with the male portion dormant for one life time to let her live out her life with the other mate. Any memory of her soul mate is wiped from memory and she is to be the rival's for the that life time." A tear slid down Kagome's cheek. Not of fear but at the cruelty Kouga would stoop to.   
  
"Inuyasha, this process is barbaric. You know that even if your half the soul was dormant and every one of my memories were gone. I would know something was missing..... I would know that a part of me was not there...." she said sadly.  
  
"Yes you can erase memories but not the instincts and missing soul pieces can not be replaced. I was told long ago that the one time it was actually heard of being used the mate failed but the female fell into a deep sickness of the mind not knowing why if she had a mate she felt so empty. I drove her to take her own life. They said that near death she smiled for the first time since her soul bonded had gone and whispered her real mates name in her last breaths. She completely ignored the voice and compelling of her current mate as he held her in his arms. She was whole again on her death bed and it is said that he knew then what a horrid mistake he had made in putting the woman he had loved thru this..." Kagome watched his face as he told of this and a growing need to be with him started to pull inside her.   
  
"Inu....," she murmured. Inuyasha knew that tone and he could feel it rising in himself. Her eyes sparkled with golden flakes and his turned into a pool of molten gold in response. The need was sudden and fierce to connect and be one in all ways. Her scent began to become saturated with and irresistible spice and she could feel his body responding against her. She felt deep inside her all the way to there soul the desperate call for unity. He looked up at Miroku and Sango who were busy with dinner and entertaining Shippo and Kirara. Their supper was half cooked but food was not the hunger they needed to satisfy.   
  
"Miroku," he growled. The monk instantly looked toward the couple toward the back of the cave. "We will return," was all he said and wrapping his arms around Kagome's body ran off into the forest to find a private safe spot to come together as mates do. A wolf near the entrance saw the streak of red and silver race by him almost to fast to see and he immediately ran to Kouga. The wolf had confidence they would be back but told him to follow them just in case. Sango from inside the mouth of the cave watched the wolf demon run in the direction Inuyasha had taken Kagome.  
  
"Did you see that?" she asked Miroku as she served some stew. Miroku nodded.  
  
"Yes but I expected as much."  
  
"Do you think they will find some privacy?"   
  
"Kagome has advanced in her powers now enough to erect a spirit shield. I'm sure they will be fine....tonight," he told his future wife.  
  
"This is gonna be not easy tomorrow," Sango looked up at him wearily.  
  
"I know dearest," he comforted putting and arm around her.   
  
"Kagome will be so defenseless..."  
  
"That is why we are here to make sure nothing happens to her." Miroku looked into Sango's eyes. "Have faith in them. They will need all they can get. Remember if Kouga touches Kagome at all then he will automatically loose anyhow and Inuyasha will be pulled back here with the other half of the spirit. She will be safe. And Inuyasha will have her with him in essence. Believe in love Sango. It is all we have..." Sango leaned into him and let her own tears slid down her face.  
  
"After this, if anything else happens I'm just gonna kill something I swear!" Miroku laughed making her laugh with him after her serious statment. "Seriously though I am worried. I think part of them did this to save my brother...." she confessed feeling guilty. Miroku sighed.  
  
"Yes I suspected as much myself. But that is just the way they are. They know we would do the same for them. We are the closest thing they have to a family here. And they are our only kin now besides you brother and the two rolling about next to the fire," he pointed to Kirara and Shippo. "Family just does that Sango. Its a lot to ask. And we didn't even have to, they just did it. With ties that deep my dear I believe that if anyone can do this they can..." Sango fell silent for a minute staring at the uneaten stew.   
  
"You're right. I believe..." she said finally.  
  
"That's all we can do now the rest is up to them..." he said looking out the cave into the night Sango's gaze following his. "And we will support them in any way we can. And just Believe..." They went on with there nightly routine with out much more conversation putting Shippo to bed at a decent hour and going to sleep themselves after they knew Shippo had slipped off. As Kirara slipped into the blanket next to Sango Miroku wrapped his arm around her waist as they laid spooned together in one bed roll. He gave his kin one last thought as he slipped off to sleep. 'Be well, you two....Be well....'  
  
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Inuyasha ran hard with Kagome wrapped around his body. He knew he was being followed, because he could sense the wolf on his tale about a half mile back. He knew however he had enough distance between him and the wolf for Kagome to erect a spirit shield to protect them from any other demons disturbing their night. He neared a part of the forest he knew and stopped briefly putting Kagome down. "Kagome can you make a barrier so we are not interrupted?" he asked her quietly. She nodded and aimed one hand sky word. The power emanated from her and created a protective dome over the two that encompassed part of a small stream and a cave that was close to where they were standing. Inuyasha had judge correctly when placing Kagome in the middle of the glade he wanted to be secluded. After that was done he wrapped his arm around her mid section from behind her and kissed the back of her head. Kagome laughed. Her laughed did both of there soul good. Her mate picked her up from behind and made a dash for the cave across some stepping stones and down a slope. He slid to a stop and put her down on her feet where she turned around and kissed him. He pecked her lips softly and walked into the cave. It wasn't very deep maybe ten feet or so but just tall enough to stand up in. And tucked in the back behind a rock was a few blankets and rice rations along with some drinking water. Inuyasha pulled them out of their hiding place. Kagome was surprised.  
  
"Inu where did this come from?" She asked holding up a blanket.  
  
"I put these here years ago. Any fort in the storm as they say...." he shrugged. Kagome nodded knowing before they had started their odyssey he had never really had any place to call his home since his mother had died. So she set out to make a small bed as Inu pulled out a pot and a jar or water that was hidden behind the blankets. He then proceeded to gather some wood outside the cave mouth and was joined by Kagome who helped him pick up small sticks. Inuyasha set up a fire pit as Kagome watched but he didn't light it. She looked at him curiously but was swept into a tidal wave of longing she has been holding back since their run to this secluded spot. Inuyasha moved to her and pulled her to his body and kissed her deeply which she returned with a passion. Kagome's arms wrapped around his neck and tangled in his silver main as her mate's hands stroked her lower back.   
  
"Inu..." was as far as she got before he captured her mouth again kissing her deeply again effectively silencing her. He then spoke quietly and deeply.  
  
"Kagome, my love. We need each other now and then we will sleep. I will let you rest while i hunt after I have had enough sleep and we will eat and stay till before sunrise here. I won't require much rest and I want to be with you as long as possible. So I will return with a small rabbit or something for us to eat with the rice because we will both need a meal before tomorrow..." Kagome responded by kissing him again. Both of there thinking processes were becoming clouded by the rising need for the other. He lowered to his knees taking her with him as he held her shoulders to steady her decent. As they were kneeling next to the make shift bed they began to undress each other. Kagome's long sleeve shirt came off with a quick tug and Kagome made short work of his outer and under shirt. Inuyasha removed the last of the linen hiding her upper body from view and looked down at her. Kagome placed her hands on his chest and slowly moved them down to his hips where his pants were tied and slowly pushed them loose to pool at his bent knees. Inuyasha moved his hands over her down her sided and loosed her garments to the floor in her kneeling position also. He suddenly then brought her mostly nude body to his and flopped on his back on the blankets kicking his pants off in the process. Kagome yiped then laughed as they tumbled across there bed her clothes leaving her body in the tussle also. Soon he had her legs intertwined with his as he kissed her again letting his hands roam her body. Her hands held his chin and stroked his face with infinite tenderness and loving she never seemed to never run out of when it came to him. And his touch on her body was nothing more then soft and gentle as if a butterfly had kissed a flower. Tonight was a night fore connection and loving. And they made the most of everything they had to give.   
  
Inuyasha slowly readied her for their joining soon to come increasing her passion by worshiping his mates body. After whispering his love for her in her ear he moved his body to cover hers and she welcomed him to her by wrapping her self about his waist. Their union was loving and moved into with great care holding back their need to be one. After their bodies met, Inuyasha rested his head on Kagome's shoulder and kissed her throat. His mate stroked his hair down his back and enjoyed the unity as they sank deep into their bonded soul. Here there was no need for words or sound, only feeling and emotion. A rhythm took them into the next step of their unification. Their bodies knew the other so well minds were lost in the love as they continued. Slowly the feel of the other was becoming overwhelming as they felt the others building pleasure. When they thought they could take no more their soul was thrown to heaven and shattered to the stars as the colors danced in the air like the northern lights. The zenith of their passion has pushed both into a lazy nap as they laid in the hazy golden warmth of their connection. Their soul drew from each the healing it needed to face the morning. And they slept for hours into the evening and into the night till almost midnight when Inuyasha began to stir.   
  
Inuyasha woke feeling his body rested and at peace. He laid there nest to his mate enjoying still being joined. He soaked in the feeling of love and connectedness for a while, then got decided he should run and hunt before his love woke. He began to purr deeply in his chest and disconnected their bodies turning her on her side so her back was to his chest. At the separation she whimpered slightly but was quickly calmed by his soft throaty rumbling working its way thru her sleeping body. Stroking her hair softly he whispered to her that he would be right back after he provided for her. This practice let his mate sleep in his absence without waking frightened or feeling alone. He finally rose untangling his naked form from hers and dawning his clothes. He covered her and kissed her forehead before dashing out the entrance to hurry his task along. Kagome felt his presence leave hers but their soul stayed as one always and she seemed to be able to sleep even though Inuyasha had left her side. The times were rare any more, but she felt safe in her spirit shield and with Inuyasha near enough to protect her.  
  
Inuyasha was not gone more than 10 minutes smelling out a small rabbit in its burrow and bringing it back quickly to skin and prepare to eat. He fixed it nicely and fixed it over the fire pit and started a fire. In all he had rabbit and rice cooking by 30 minutes after he got up to hunt. Kagome finally began to stir when she smelled the food cooking and the haze Inuyasha's purr wore off. Inuyasha watched his mate turn over and put her hand where his body should be. She made a sour face which made him laugh lightly and move to her side. Kagome heard him chuckle from the other side of her and turned over to look at him. She opened her eyes to see Inuyasha crouched beside her. He reached out for her and pulled her into his arms. She gladly hugged him back in welcome.  
  
"Smells good Inu. What did you catch?" She said pulling back.  
  
"Found a rabbit not to far. So I put it on with the rice. We will need our strength 'Gome," he told her. She wrinkled her nose at her nick name Souta had introduced him to. He again chuckled. "It'll be done soon." Kagome yawned in response. Inuyasha pulled her and a blanket into his lap and sat with her against him. She snuggled into the embrace.  
  
"Hun?" she asked tiredly.  
  
"Hmm?"   
  
"It's not time yet is it?"   
  
"No, love. Not yet," he answered.  
  
"Good." At this she seemed to wake up more and looked up at her mate. Her peace was hard won but still seemed to be intact. "I want to spend a much time with you as possible before the sun rises." Inuyasha gave a sigh.  
  
"I know love. But you won't miss me I promise cuz you'll be right with me."  
  
"The only good thing about this damn son of a..." her mate cut her off."  
  
"I get the picture Kagome," he laughed and she did too. He went serious again the suddenly. "What are you going to do with him after this is over?" he asked her as if there were no doubts he was coming back. And to them there wasn't.  
  
"I don't know Inu. I don't think I can kill him even after everything...." she sighed. Inuyasha understood this.   
  
"I will leave it up to you whatever you do. It's your right to do whatever with him, even if its sick me on the bastard." Kagome nodded deep in thought. He was sure when the time came she would make a good choice that was purely Kagome. They spent the next few minutes in quite contemplation then began pick at the roasting meat and rice. They both ate Kagome still in his lap. He ate around her plus what she offered him from her bowl. After the meal was done Kagome decided to dress and then sat next to him snuggled into side. Sunrise was still hours away so they decided to just sit there soaking up each others company till they knew they had to face the dawn. Soon they were in a light doze very aware only of each other and their soul. All to soon it would be time to return to the wolves den and face down hell's challenge  
  
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Hate to do this to you guys but this chapter was already really long and its gonna be just as long the next time around this is the challenges I was talking about! I have most of um and such if anyone has any suggestions for challenges review please! hope you liked it! more to come soon!!! Laters, LJ 


	8. Inuyasha the Valient pt 2 the challenge

HI everyone here I am again. The second part of the Hell's challenge now here! Hope you all enjoy it. Read and Review!!! I love reviews! BTW thanks paws for being such a loyal reviewer!!! and all the others. On with the show.  
  
Disclaimer: DO I have to? waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah lol.  
  
Inuyasha the Lovingly Valiant and Kouga the Eternally Dense 2: The Bonded Mates Challenge  
  
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The night for the two soul bonded mates, they wished would never end, saw the first new light of morning beginning to lighten the eastern sky. Soft colors of the impending sun rise drove Inuyasha to shake off the hazy laziness that resting in their one soul created. Kagome, too, started to pull herself out of the golden warmth she had dozed in against Inuyasha for hours that morning. It was time she knew, and her hanyou did also. Inuyasha stood and stretched bringing his mate with him to their feet. Kagome also moved her self about to dispel the tiredness from her body. They then turned simultaneously toward each other and looked into the others eyes.   
  
Inuyasha saw no fear in her, the unshakable foundation they had been building the last months stood firm under the great pressure of what was to come. He smiled at her lovingly as she stared back into his eyes finding the love that kept their soul so strong in everything. For a moment they marveled at the other and then embraced. They stood like that for a few minutes as sunrise came closer. Inuyasha grudgingly pulled away and looked down at her again. "It's time," he said softly caressing her cheek. She nodded.  
  
"I know," she actually smiled up at him afterward like she had not a care in the world, her faith was unwavering. "So, let's see this thru so we can get on with our lives."  
  
Inuyasha picked her up into his arms just as her spirit shield fell exposing them to the outside world. Inuyasha sniffed quickly finding that a wolf demon had camped near the edge of the spirit shield that night, but there were no other demons that posed a threat in the vicinity. So with a soft kiss on top of her head, he then took off in a swift run toward the wolf dens.   
  
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In the cave entrance just as the sun peaked over the mountains, the silhouette of a man holding a woman appeared to the rest of the Inuyasha band. Shippo and Kirara had been curled up in the back of the cave that night sleeping together as, Miroku and Sango were sleeping next to each other in the middle of the cave close to the fire. It has been a cool night but not terrible cold. The body heat of one another had taken care of any chill that was in the air that night and then some. By the time the shadow that was Inuyasha and Kagome blocked the rising sun, they were all up and about taking care of breakfast.  
  
The meal turned out to be a quiet affair as Inuyasha stayed quiet thru the meal but Sango and Kagome talked in hushed tones of calmer times. Kagome sat in Inuyasha's lap the whole time seeming calmer then when she left with him kind of odd considering the circumstances. Shippo of course took the opportunity to sit in her lap also as she as in Inu's. They made quite a picture to the other couple, as a ready made family. Inuyasha's affection toward the kit was that of a father now a days and he allowed the small demon mostly free range with his mate, as far as her motherly duties took her. The three of them reclined against each other as they finished eating allowing a introspective Miroku to finish his meal. Kirara ate the scarps from the group and the portion in Sango's bowl she always left for her. As breakfast came to a close it was time to talk serious.   
  
"Are you two ready?" Miroku asked starting the conversation. Sango looked at him with quiet appreciation for beginning the difficult discussion and Kagome stopped tickling Shippo who was giggling in her lap. He suddenly had everyone's attention. Inuyasha spoke up next.  
  
"We are," was all he said. It was enough it seemed to satisfy the group, especially the way Kagome was acting. It was nearing time they could all feel the tension growing in the demon camp around them. Sango turned to her adopted sister and took her hand.  
  
"Kagome, when your with him in hell your half of the soul will prominently dormant just as his would be if it returned to you if he didn't make it. But there is a way for him to call on you if he needs you. I assume you two were 'with' one another last night?" Sango asked pointedly. Kagome blushed but nodded. "Well that's the first step, the second requires a bit of your hair." She looked at Kagome and brandished her short sword from her belt. Kagome looked at Inuyasha then at Sango.  
  
"If it well help you could have it all Sango," she said softly and turned slightly in Inuyasha's lap to give her access. From underneath her hair at the base of her neck she cut a small bit of longer hair and took in into her hand. As Sango examined the length of what she had cut Inuyasha was pleased that it didn't look like it had been cut at all and nuzzled the back of her neck to prove it. Kagome just smiled faintly watching Sango as she reached a hand up to stroke a soft ear. The demon slayer quickly braided it into a small band that would fit around Inuyasha's wrist. Sango looked up at the couple.  
  
"Inuyasha which hand did you cut in the blood share?" she asked quickly wanting to get this done before the challenge began. Inuyasha held up his right hand to show her even though there was no scare. "Ok I need your right ankle." Inuyasha pulled Kagome onto his left leg and pulled his right bare foot out from under his mate. Miroku then came over and pulled a jar from his robes and handed it to Sango.   
  
"I recall that another priest told me long ago about soul bonded mates. I've had this for years and never knew why I kept it. But put it on the band Sango. That man told me that this would help a soul communicate with itself. It made no sense at the time but now it does seeing these circumstances. It will allow Inuyasha better access to Kagome's consciousness in his body." The monk looked at everyone.  
  
"You came in useful after all houshi!" Inuyasha said sounding gruff but his grin took all negative meaning out of his tone. Miroku bowed and kneeled to watch his current romantic interest work. It was a rich oil that she worked into the hair nicely. Sango then took the now softened length of braided hair and wrapped it around Inuyasha's right ankle. Shippo watched the whole scene play out in front of him keeping quiet in times like these he had become accustomed to.  
  
"The right side for the dominant in the pair and the dominant body, But this connection with that dominance will allow you access to be more connected with your submissive yet just as important partner. Everything that this stands for you already have but this ritual just allows you better communication thru what you have since her consciousness would be basically just there and not active. Kagome," her sister looked at her. "right before you go to sleep with that potion make sure your only thoughts are of Inuyasha. That will make a stronger tie to your consciousness since it will be in his body. It will be hard to concentrate but I think you can do it. I really don't think you guys will actually need this but I want you both back safe and sound." Miroku nodded also. Kirara mewed her approval and rubbed up against the pair momentarily. Kagome smiled and petted her. Time was suddenly short they felt and Shippo approached his new parents. And jump into hug both of them around their necks.  
  
"Mommy, Daddy," he started hugging them close as they hugged him. "I know that you'll come back," he said to Inuyasha with tears in his eyes. "And I know you'll teach that mean wolfy a mean lesson," he told Kagome thru a sniffle. Inuyasha did have a question as he looked down at his first pup, but Shippo answered it for him. "Don't worry Inu-papa, I know the demon rules. I won't make things any harder if things don't turn out like they should. But I'll always be around to watch mama." The look Kagome threw Inuyasha was questioning but he shook his head to her saying this was not the time to go there. She dismissed it from her mind knowing he probably knew best seeing as how he was a demon and there would be plenty of time for questions later. Shippo had just jumped off their collective lap when a Kouga appeared at the mouth of the cave.  
  
"Ah I see you are back dog breath. Well that will be the last time you enjoy my mate," he said cockily. Inuyasha seemed unscathed by the comment as did Kagome. They just stood calmly with their arms around the other. Shippo hopped up on to his mother's shoulder and Miroku and Sango flanked them with Kirara transformed bringing up the rear. The small family walked out of the cave in silence following the wolf pack leader. He led them to the main cave where more than half of the pack nested. Everyone watched them as the entered and walked toward the back where the old woman was hunched over a fire where she stirred a strong smelling herbal concoction. Once in front of the woman Kouga dipped cup into the thick boiling potion and held it up as if to worship some deity. The whole cave came alive with a fierce sound of howling and barking from the pack wolves and demons alike. Inuyasha and his band stood quietly during the ruckus as if their were nothing on the horizon to cause any a bit of concern. This quiet strength unnerved Kouga as he watched them intently as his plan to get Kagome revealed itself in front of them. Kagome's peace especially bothered him since he was so sure he was going to win before seeing her serene face. Now doubt was beginning to slip into his bravado.  
  
The cup came down to waist level and he held it out toward the Inuyasha group in front of him, "Drink it my dear Kagome!" Inuyasha looked appalled he would even ask here in this pit.  
  
"Not on your damn life asshole," Inuyasha replied to the demand in a low timber. "Show us to where she will be.....now." Kouga shrugged and went around them and walked out of the cave carrying the cup.   
  
"There is a larger cavern this way with a bed inside. I had it constructed after I thought up this ingenious plan. It will be our mated chambers," he relayed smugly. The would tribe leader ventured a glace back at his to be mate. She didn't even flinch, her step never faltered she walked almost regally next to Inuyasha who had his hand around her shoulders securely. He almost cursed out loud but kept his composure for appearances sake. He decided to keep quiet the rest of the short walk and just showed them all the cave with a gesture of his hand and allowed them to walk in. The small group walked toward the back and saw the large bed well big enough for all of them to get in and sleep comfortably. Kouga followed them in still holding the cup.  
  
"Here is where she will remain during the challenge, dog terd," he said in a aggravated tone. "No one but your rag tag group will be allowed to enter this cave under my orders. She'll come to no harm here. And neither will your "friends" if they leave in peace after ward." He then thrust the cup forward toward Inuyasha and Kagome. Sango stepped forward and took it from him knowing this would be a private endeavor.   
  
"Leave," the demon hunter told him in a low voice. Kouga looked like he was about to say something when Miroku stepped in.  
  
"This is private, you will NOT be in here at any time she is under the potions effects including now. We will come out when she has fallen asleep and Inuyasha is ready. I have been versed in the traditions of this as well as you, now be gone," he said with a wave of his hand dismissively as if the youkia should bow to his every whim just because he spoke. Their command of this situation irked him but he retreated as tradition demanded other wise they could count it forfeit. The wolf turned his back and disembarked from the cave with out a word. In between the two soul bonded mates there was only peace and it seemed to emit out into the small family that banded around them. Their courage astounded the other one as well as the rest. Miroku broke the strained silence.  
  
"Well we handled that well," he smiled at them all. There was a genuine laugh that rolled thru the group breaking any tension that was there. Inuyasha gave the monk a grateful smile as well as Kagome. Sango reached out for his hand momentarily to squeeze it and then let it go. As Inuyasha and Kagome sat on the bed Miroku kneeled in front of them. "I swear Inuyasha on my fathers grave I will protect her body while you are gone," he said with a bow from his knees. Inuyasha took his hand and pulled him to standing position.  
  
"You stupid monk," he started crossly then smiled. "If I didn't trust you with my mate you wouldn't be here protecting her idiot." Miroku smiled and took it as a great compliment coming from Inuyasha. Sango stepped forward and was about to kneel before Inuyasha's hand stopped her. "You too wench, don't bother. If you don't know by now then I'm not gonna repeat it!" Sango smiled and handed Inuyasha the cup.   
  
"Don't worry Kagome everything will turn out like it always does," Sango said. Kagome squeezed her hand with a smile and the two other adults walked toward the mouth of the cave to give the two privacy. Shippo then hopped up on Kagome's lap and kissed her on her cheek and did the same to Inuyasha which surprised him.   
  
"You two do what you hafta and get back here got it?" he ordered sounding a lot like Inuyasha. Both his parents laughed and kissed him back and watched as he scampered out of the back of the cave taking a mewing Kirara with them. Kagome waved at the cat and it appeased her. With everyone gone it left only them. There was no need for words or I love yous their soul said it all. So they sat there in silence and he held the cup near her mouth for her to drink as he positioned her in his lap. She wrapped her hands around his one and drank the potion with out a second thought or a breath. Afterward she tossed the cup to the earthen floor and wrapped her self around her mate. Inuyasha did the same and held her tightly. It took only a minute before the potion began to make her slip into sleep. Her thoughts were only of him and his only of her. He felt her limbs loosen around him and quietly spoke to her.  
  
"I love you my soul," was all he said. He knew she couldn't reply in words for she had fallen deeper under the spell and suddenly the were wrapped in a blueish light that seemed to sparkle around them. Kagome's breath suddenly caught as he felt her essence being pulled from her body and slammed into his. There was a momentary laps of consciousness as the two halves merged in one body, but he held onto her now empty shell with all of his might as it felt as if his breath had been forced from his lungs. And then as suddenly as it started the light disappeared and the magic settled. Inuyasha opened his eyes to see his mate in his arms but felt as if they were of one flesh like the night before when there bodies had been one in love making. Kagome's body looked pale and fragile suddenly much like Kikiyo's had as if it were made of pottery and bones. Her appearance frightened him but knew it was because of the lack of a soul. Inside he felt a stirring of reassurance wrap itself thru his being. Kagome reached out to his fear thru their soul even though she was supposed to be dormant. Again the incredible peace they had shared previously in separate bodies hey now shared in his. "My Kagome," he whispered and looked at her out of habit. For a moment he heard her giggle on the slight breeze that played with his hair. He smiled and set her still form on the bed tucking it in tenderly. "It's time," he said to both of them and with out a worry or second thought walked to the mouth of the cave.   
  
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Inuyasha's departure was silent as all he did was nod to his friends and adopted son. Kouga guided him out of the wolf tribes nesting grounds and toward cliff that slopped down a rock face into a deep gorge. It was a very narrow valley that must have only been 40 feet wide that looked as if a mountain cracked precisely in half to make a pathway to a cave that stopped laid at the end of the valley. Inuyasha could see all the way down the path where hell's entrance lay but was a good mornings walk. Kouga pointed the way Inuyasha already had caught on and jumped over the cliff and hopped and skipped down the mountain side to the thin basin path. Kouga made his own criss crossing leaps down over the steep rocky terrain making an effort to stay behind Inuyasha. They both hadn't spoken a word since he had tried one last stab at the mated couples confidence and instead had shaken his own. Inuyasha all the while looked focused and peaceful through the walk and dissention. A small almost indiscernible smile played on the hanyou's face over the short journey. He felt Kagome inside him and a constant stream of strength and love were filling their soul continually. He would have to go thru hell as he held heaven inside him, but at the moment the irony escaped the half demon.  
  
The walk to the cave didn't take that long for two demons who could out run any human on the earth and had the endurance to match. Kouga got there first with the help of the shards that Inuyasha had come to collect in the first place. But seeing the wolf smile gloatingly didn't even faze the hanyou in the slightest. He just walked in past him into the darkness of the cave and followed the strait sloping cavern inside the mountain that the cave seemed to be carved out of. Kouga of course followed him miffed at the lack of rise from Inuyasha. The caved continued its downward trek into the earth for at least an hour. Inuyasha found his way thru the darkness by smell and touch and since the hanyou knew where he was going Kouga just followed him. They finally reached a cavern lighted with crystals that glowed under their own power, and in front of a large red door that looked 10 stories tall was a the large golden form of a dragon laid in front of the entrance seemingly asleep.   
  
Suddenly there was movement and the whole cavern seemed to shake. The great dragon knew they were coming but refused to move until they got there. This great beast knew everything and had knowledge of all time. His job was alone and eternal and he cared little for the company of others. The two demons stood still as he raised himself up to full height about half the height of the doors and he turned his purple eyes on to the two.  
  
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sorry for the cliffy but i was working really hard on this and just about sliced my finger off doing dishes so i won't be able to finish the last chapter right away when i can move my fingers again and not feel like screaming I'll finish ok? if you like it so far review i hope to have the last half of this chappy out before Christmas cuz the baby is due on January 30 so sorry for all the delays. I hope you will like this for now. Thanks for reading R+R later, LJ 


	9. Inuyasha the Valient pt three In hell

Hi everyone sorry for the delay here is one of the last chappies I hope. I know its been forever but I finally had my baby and I'm in good enough shape to get around again. I had a boy he's 18 days old now hehehe so on with the story.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own inu. Wish I did, but I don't.  
  
Inuyasha the lovingly valiant and Kouga the eternally dense part 3: In hell  
  
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The two demons stood still as the dragon raised himself up to full height about half the height of the doors and he turned his purple eyes toward the two. Inuyasha didn't flinch but Kouga seemed to cringe slightly under the glare of the beast. It opened its mouth and took a deep breath that expanded its chest as if it hadn't breathed in centuries. Then it spoke, and as it did the cave shook like an earthquake shook the ground beneath there feet.  
  
"I am Gouka, keeper of the gates to hell. I know who you are Inuyasha of the crystal gatherers and Kouga of the wolves. It was fated for this challenge to take place long before the miko came to find you in this time Inuyasha. You are ready to proceed?" Inuyasha looked up at the dragon steadily.  
  
"I am," was all he said. The dragon looked deep into his golden eyes for a moment and laughed out loud. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh little half demon if the other mates who came to me had half the confidence you did I might have seen at least one over the millennia come back from this." Inuyasha didn't recoil at his words. He had heaven in side him there was nothing to fear beyond these doors he knew. Gouka grinned showing his massive teeth the size as either of the two small demons in comparison at his massive feet. "Brave half-breed, I look forward to see the out come of this challenge." He then turned his eyes onto Kouga. "And the challenger," he said in a dull tone. "It is a shame this challenge can still be called on after all these centuries. Only fools and villains have I seen call on hell to break a bond that was meant to be. Which of the two you are has yet to be seen. And in this, I only pity the female's fate should her bonded fail." Gouka turned suddenly put his front for claws on the doors and let out a howling screech that shook the cavern. The doors responded by opening immediately to his call. And the enormous dragon fell on to all fours again as he looked into the gate of hell. Inuyasha walked toward the doors to the right of the beast in front of him. The dragon stared into hell. It wasn't fire and brim stone at least not here it was just another cavern that narrowed down toward a walk way lined with glowing crystals. Gouka spoke, "Thru this passages you will begin your assent toward the second door but on the way you will have the first challenge. Each has a name and has been specifically crafted to try your bond to the limits. They are both of physical, emotional, and mental in nature. You may not know what any are before encounter them." Gouka did not look at the hanyou as he talked. Neither did Inuyasha look at him. It was as if there was an unspoken respect that needed no eye contact. He said one last thing as Inuyasha started his walk, "Go meet your fate boy, the world awaits your return." Inuyasha stopped to hear his words then the doors slammed behind him as the dragon turned and left. He stood there for a moment letting the loud echo die down before he began walking again. No doubt, no fear, no trepidation, clouded his mind or heart. Kagome's essence wrapped itself around him inside constantly filling him with a sureness beyond his comprehension. He could only assume it was from her unwavering faith in him.  
  
As he proceeded down the hallway he began to feel slightly dizzy and closed his eyes momentarily to shake off the sudden onset of vertigo. When he opened them he was looking at an open field. The cavern was gone that quickly. He took in his surroundings quickly trying to gather where he was. The land he was standing on was barren and reeked of death. All around there were dead bodies clad in armor with scattered weapons about. It was as if a large battle took place here. He then smelled many humans not far off. He walked toward the smell unsure of what he was supposed to do. There over the ridge was the camp of an army larger then he had ever seen. All wore armor of the times and had swords at there sides. Inuyasha seemed inexplicably drawn to the gates of this tent city where it seemed destiny was waiting. The whole camp had a barricade around it made of a wood fence about 8 feet high with a large gate on the south side that seemed to be the only way in and out. The hanyou approached the open gate and entered stepped under the large archway and was frozen in place momentarily completely unable to move. A man in a richly adorned uniform stepped in front of him with a tall staff that raised at least 2 feet above the mans head. He pointed it at Inuyasha and the air around him swirled into a whirl wind with a light orange hue. The magic the man possessed was strong and the pain inside him started immediately. From inside his soul felt as thought it were being torn in two. He felt Kagome try to wrap herself inside him tighter but suddenly he felt her being ripped from him and half of his soul passed out of his body and thru the whirlwind toward the man. Inuyasha fought the magic with all his strength and managed to break his immobility and grab onto Kagome's hand that had materialized when her half had been pulled from his body with a cry. The man smiled. So connected were the two the hanyou had actually broken part of his spell. He was impressed but grabbed the girl around the mid section and yanked her from his grasp. "Inuyasha!!!" he heard her cry then go silent.  
  
The end of the man's staff hit the dirt and all the magic stopped and Inuyasha was suddenly free to move. In his left arm Kagome's limp form hung over his arm. Inuyasha was enraged and in horrible pain inside having been ripped apart as they had been, but he pushed everything back but the need to get his mate back. He leapt at the man who's grip on the staff tightened and he was again frozen in place. "You bastard!!!" he yelled. "She is mine give her back!! KAGOME KAGOME!!"  
  
"SILENCE WHELP" the man finally spoke. Inuyasha stopped his hollering but looked with murderous intent at him. "Much better. Now, she can not be called out of the sleep. I am Haku, leader of this army, and you are the challenged," it was not a question. "This is your first challenge half-breed, you want her? You must fight for her." And with that he disappeared and rematerialized on top in the center of the camp. "SOLDIERS ATTACK!!" There were thousands of them. And Inuyasha was with out a weapon he could wield against humans. The tetsiaga only worked against demons. He crouched into an attack stance and let them come. He didn't care how many there were he would get back his mate with out fail.  
  
And on the humans came in droves. Inuyasha was stronger then them all by far but with so many there was a chance he wouldn't be able to fend off all their attacks continually by so many. But he didn't care about the chances, his mind was only on success to reach his beloved bond. His claws ripped thru the first hundred in the first minute. And his fire rat kimono protected him from most of the swords and arrows coming down in a slurry upon the half demon. It seemed to be raining weapons as he jump thru the onslaught of men. Many tired to nets and ropes but he cut thru them with a single minded direction. Finally in all the maylay one lucky soldier happened to catch Inuyasha's foot with a rope that brought him down into the mist of a horde of men. They descended on his rolling form with a vengeance as several arrows caught his body in vulnerable places including his shoulder just under the collar of his fire rat shirt. He cried out as he was hit simultaneously with the men enclosing with swords raised. But it he wasn't near done. Pulling himself to his feet he looked around pulling the arrows from his body with out a flinch. His hands were covered in his blood instantly.   
  
Upon the hill in the mist of the battle the miko's form shook against Haku's arm. He was surprised to feel her moving seeing as how she was not supposed to be able to wake at all. He watched the battle unfold at the base of the hill and every time the hanyou was hit the girl shuddered. "The girl can feel everything the demon feels...." he whispered. "Fascinating, never has such a bond come thru my domain....," Haku pondered as he suddenly heard the hanyou yell again.  
  
Another lucky shot missed by Inuyasha tiring body. He could feel his blood dripping from his body at an alarming rate but ignored it using his blades of blood to cut down 30 men at a time clearing a path toward the raised center of camp. He was almost there, he could feel himself drawing closer to her. His sight was trained on the slumped from of Kagome as he slashed about fending off most of the blows. He suddenly stumbled and an arrow caught him thru his back. The shaking form of the miko went still as death. Haku thought it was over...but he was wrong.   
  
A pink light wrapped itself around both Kagome and Inuyasha stirring the air around them. Kagome felt weightless against his arm as she seemed to float in the luminescence. And the hanyou in the midst of his men hovered barely above the ground. Nothing could penetrate the miko's light no other magic or weapons and the surrounding soldiers tried everything. The wounds on the hanyou sealed themselves before the eyes of the entire army and with a sudden blast outward knocking the horde to their backs the pink light dissipated and Kagome fell against Haku's arm once again, spent and barely breathing. Inuyasha caught the eye of Haku and let out an animalistic howl no one could misinterpret. His demon blood boiled to the surface even though his body was well healed thanks to Kagome, and his eyes changed to a blood red and stripes appeared across his cheek bones. He roared once more as the army was finding its feet and coiled into a bounding position and launched himself thru the masses racking his claws thru skin, muscle, and bone as he went with his elongated claws and increased speed. The men kept coming but they were soon short work nothing could stop the raging demon closing in on the Haku's position. Their were fewer then one hundred left at of the army standing to protect their chief. four swipes of his claws brought the last one down. Haku looked about at his dead army littering the entire enclosure and then turned his eyes to the approaching demon. Inuyasha was there before him looking him in the eye. Haku did what he had to do and he laid the limp form of his mate at his feet carefully and backed away. He then kneeled and bowed his head. Inuyasha looked Kagome over carefully then as an after thought took the mans head off with a lazy swipe before kneeling next to his mate.  
  
His demon blood receded to where he was in his true form. His golden eyes looked over Kagome tenderly and then slipped his arms under her shoulders and knees bring her to his chest. She began to rouse slightly and opened her eyes just barely and smiled tiredly at him as her hand sought the side of his face. She rubbed his cheek gently like a whisper soft touch of her finger tips which he kissed gently and rubbed the side of his face against.   
  
"You used your powers," he said softly. She nodded.  
  
"I'm so tired...." she said in a bare whisper.  
  
"Rest love, then rest." With that she closed her eyes and let out a breath and her body shimmered and dissolved into nothing. He felt her suddenly inside him again as he closed his eyes. As quickly as the cavern had disappeared before it was back when he opened his eyes once again holding nothing but air in his arms. The hanyou took a deep breath and slumped to the ground digging his nails into the dirt out of frustration. ~Damn,~ he thought tiredly, but in response to his weariness he felt his other half respond with strength. He put his hand to his chest. ~I love you too~ he thought and got up and strode toward the doors now in view.   
  
The doors were yellow and normal height no taller then 7 feet. He didn't hesitate when he pushed them open with both hands and watched them swing open. Inside just out of reach of the swinging doors was a woman dressed in red. She was smaller than Kagome but had white hair and red eyes that had no pupils. The red pools looked at Inuyasha as if unseeing.   
  
"You have passed the first test," she said emotionlessly. "Now we will move on." She turned on her heels and began to walk forward and disapeared. After her form was gone he saw a narrow walk way with trenches on either side. He walked to the edge they were filled with lava, boiling pits of molten rock that he knew he would not survive if he fell in. A voice echoed from no where. "The farther you proceed on this path the farther you delve into your mates past with you. From the more recent times all the way back to the beginning when she met you hanyou. The pits are not so we can trick you into falling in, they are for those who can not stand the pain of this short walk. Come challenged, are you willing to take on all her pain in a few short minutes you inflicted on her over years?" the voice cackled with laughter. "Or will you choose the less painful way, the lava?" Again it cackled into oblivion leaving Inuyasha looking down the narrow short path. He swallowed deeply and set forward.   
  
He placed one foot on the path and he swore he felt the stinging sensation on his hand, a memory flashed from Kagome's perspective during there mating ceremony when they shared blood. He winced slightly but took another step. He was hit then with the feeling of absolute desperation that made his heart feel as if it would wither and die, this memory was from right before he asked her to be his mate from the encounter with Kikiyo. He flinched again and walked on. He hadn't recovered from the first wave of heartache when another one hit, another Kikiyo memory. And yet another step, the names he called her ran thru his head. He took to more and the feelings intensified to where he could hardly breathe. He pressed on two more steps, as a cascade of pain made its way thru him. He was 3/4ths the way there where he hit his knees. He couldn't believe over the course of three years he had wrought so much pain with his mouth and actions upon the woman who now was half of him. Tears fell down his face unhindered. He began to feel a despair of his own from weight he had heaved on the precious woman he'd mated with. He crawled forward cringing physically thru the onslaught. 1 foot from the end of the path he wanted to throw himself into the fire not feeling any longer he deserved his mate. But at this thought something warm stirred inside him. Other memories from long ago flittered into his pained mind. Ones of Kagome smiling, smiling because of him. Other memories and emotions wrapped themselves around the painful ones filtering other emotions, stronger ones, like love and loyalty and laughter. And in the midst of this he swore he felt to arms wrap around him and lift him to his feet, and from some where inside or outside his mind he didn't know, a whisper, "with love comes pain two sides of the same coin we would not know one with out the other...." And with that he took the last two final steps and found himself on the other side of the path.  
  
He looked back at the short distance he had actually walked and took a deep breath and wiped his face on his long sleeve. Inuyasha again put his hand to his heart. "My Gods Kagome. How you would still want to be with me after I put you thru all that is a beyond me mate. Whatever Gods above deemed me worthy of you I will have to thank some day." It felt like a giggle ran thru his soul for a split second. ~She would giggle at something like that~ he thought as he turned around. Again to his surprise there was the girl in red standing in front of him.   
  
"You didn't jump hanyou?" she questioned. When Inuyasha didn't answer she continued. "I've had a few not make it past this and they were full demon." The woman shrugged and turned to walk away again. "Proceed, challenged to the next door more hell awaits you half breed." She walked two steps and disappeared and two red doors appeared in her stead. Inuyasha walked on and pushed open the third doors.   
  
On the other side of the door this time just out of swinging reach, he saw....himself. Not his normal self but his Youkia self standing and waiting. Inuyasha back up one step in surprise his eyes going wide. His youkia self grinned as it played with its elongated claws as if board. "Half-breed, you made it thus far but not any farther. You are not worth to have my woman. Your human heart makes you weak and your human blood makes you pathetic. Are you strong enough to keep her? I doubt it. You will come and prove it to me now, half-breed." He turned and walked into a large open cavern whose ceiling rose stories high till you couldn't see the top of the cave, and it was rounded like a large ring big as a foot ball field is wide.  
  
"Wait a minute you bastard! She's MINE and will always be. And if your me how are you here?!?!" he yelled after himself.  
  
"Prove it," the youkia Inuyasha whispered dangerously crouching to pounce. Hanyou Inuyasha quickly readied himself for the impact as he caught sight of the youkia in flight at him. They rolled to the center of the ring where Inuyasha launched him off him with his legs. Youkia Inuyasha landed easily on his feet. Hanyou rolled to his feet also snarling, he knew he had to beat his youkia side to prove he could keep his mate safe. Suddenly they charged at each other at the same time claws bared. Youkia took a swipe at Inuyasha catching his upper arm thru his fire rat shirt but Hanyou caught his double across his opposite shoulder. Both came away with scathing wounds each holding opposite arms. Hanyou knew there would be no transforming in this battle, he just had a feeling that was one of the limits put on this challenge. Hanyou decided to unsheathe the tetsiaga to battle himself. He knew he was going to have to kill his doppelganger to win and since he was all demon the sword should help him do that. But as he pulled it free it remained a rusted old sword in his hands. He was baffled but only momentarily when he heard the Youkia Inuyasha laugh. ~Of course, why would a sword attack its master?~ Hanyou thought. He was right, the tetsiaga recognized Inuyasha even in his demon form and would not transform to destroy him. Hanyou sheathed the sword again hotly cursing all the while. Youkai the opportunity to strike again with his superior speed and Hanyou barely was able to side step most of the attack. However the tips of Youkia's claws scraped along his chest leaving four shallow cuts bleeding freshly thru his now tattered top. Hanyou immediately used his fresh blood for his blade attack and sent it flying toward the Youkia Inuyasha catching his exposed back with the powerful weapon. The attack ripped thru the Youkia's clothes and into his skin on his back scoring deep into the flesh. This simply served to seriously piss Youkia Inuyasha off and instead of slowing him down he seemed to have increased the power he into his attacks.   
  
The two went at each other for a third time Hanyou came off the collision with wounds that were deep enough across his abdomen to cause worry. He was bleeding profusely again as he had been in the first challenge but he knew this time he would not be able to change forms. But the Hanyou refused to entertain any thoughts of loosing. It was not an option not ever. Inside him he felt Kagome stirring not a lot but just enough to spur him on into another furious attack aimed towards the Youkia claws drawn out. He suddenly felt his hand tingle with a new power that seemed to rest in his claws. He could see the faint pink glow in them and he grinned. The youkia Inuyasha advanced on him also and at the last minute launched himself toward the hanyou's mid section. But Inuyasha had been expecting it and he used their combined speed to thrust his glowing claws thru the Youkia's tender belly. It would not have been a killing blow if not for the miko energy that now poured into the Youkia's body searing from the inside out much like his brothers poison might. However the miko magic Kagome willed into his attack was much more pure and did much more damage. Inuyasha back away from the youkia now laying on the ground heaving blood from his lungs as he tried to breath. The demon Inuyasha spared a glance at his Hanyou part but said nothing as his breathing suddenly stopped followed by his heart. The corpse slowly disintegrated there on the floor, slightly disheartening watching oneself die. He stared at the spot on the floor for some time thinking how he had defeated himself. So far Inuyasha had managed to defeat each obstacle because Kagome had lent her half of the soul to him in his time of battle, offering everything she had at her disposal to keep him going. He once again put his hand to his heart and closed his eyes one word on his mind. ~Kagome~ he whispered in his mind, ~even in hell you are an angel.~ He sighed. "Three down," he said aloud as a pair of blue doors appeared before him. "Four to go...." and with that he marched on.  
  
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I know I know its been forever one more chappy i promise and Ill finish all this up. I hope to get it done this week. I hope you like it 4 more challenges to go!!! What do you think so far?? The best challenges are yet to come. want a hint? he has to face his human side to want to know how? well you gonna have to wait. Love you all REVIEW PLEASE?? Laters! LJ 


	10. Inuysah the Valient pt four Human challe

HI everyone I know its been forever been hitting some rough spots lately but now I have a break from school and I hope to get at least a few challenges into this one. My muse finally hit me as I find love again in my life. Hope you like it! Lady J Inuyasha the lovingly valiant and Kouga the ever dense

Inuyasha walked toward the set of blue doors put in his path by the completion of the third task. His body was sore and tired but his spirit was refreshingly content as the portal neared. They automatically opened when he was near enough to them to require their moving and so they allowed him entrance into the next level of hell.

Before him stood a full demon figure that looked reminiscent of a bear. His ears were rounded but against his head and his eyes were black as pitch and even though he was very human looking his features still retained a snout like muzzle. "You have come far halfling," it snarled at him. He couldn't even call it a voice really more like an animal's grunt. Inuyasha inclined his head slightly so he would not have to exert the energy to speak to the demon presiding over. "They have created interesting challenges for you young lover, prepared you are, for this," it was a statement not a question. Behind him the blue doors slammed so loudly it rattled his brain slightly and caused him to cover his ears and close his eyes. Suddenly a familiar feeling of disorienting dizziness hit him. In a flash he was in a hut, a small hut with only two rooms and a fire pit in the middle much like Keade's or any other peasants for that matter. And as he removed his hands from the top of his head he noticed his hands….the were dirty and his nails were gone. They were the hands of a human, and his clothes were that of a normal peasant is was as if he had never been half demon at all. He remembered his life, his Kagome, his circumstances, but everything here was wrong. Everything since Kouga had challenged them had been erased from his memory. The used to be hanyou was racking his brain trying to figure out what had happened when he heard his Kagome scream. It was instinct that drove him out of the house but it was a human instinct and not his animalistic demon instinct. He suddenly realized that he couldn't feel her inside and couldn't locate her automatically, but he also couldn't seem to muster the instant rage he had usually when heard her scream. He followed the direction in which the sound had come from and found it had melted into a polite laughter. She was somewhat giggling. This confused him and made him angry to have been bothered by the screaming but also he wanted to make sure she was ok still. It was an interesting combination to have since usually he was so focused on finding her and saving her that he didn't ever have time to be angry until after he found her and actually saw she was safe. His anger then was not until after he had insured her safety and now it was mixed with his worry before him finding her. He thought maybe it had to do with the fact he was unable to feel her in side his soul. But as he rounded a corner of a hut he found her in the arms of KOUGA. He waited for the rage to surge but instead he became only angry and the jealousy that surged in his veins was nothing but a spring shower compared to the storm of emotion he normally felt. But he in that instant he readily hurt also. It was as if he couldn't tell how she was feeling. He needed to know, he needed to feel her again but he couldn't and the thought of her with him made him sick. He watched his wife pat the wolf demon on the chest and gently break his embrace. "Kouga, you scared me!" Kagome said softly but with a kind smile. "Yes but it makes my blood race to hear you scream Kagome," he said with a lustful tone implying much. Kagome took a serious tone with him. "Kouga! Please! That's not decent. I am a married woman." Her last statement did little to sooth his hurt. Kouga seemed to ignore her last statement and hugged her from behind. This time she did not fight him as much even as she did the first time. At this point she made eye contact with her husband. There was fear, despair and an unspoken apology for what she was about to do. And she relaxed into Kouga's grasp. Once again she exchanged a glance with the human Inuyasha and there was resignation there now. It seemed that this is the way it was going to be and as if it always had been and always would be. And in Inuyasha's stare was fear…not only for Kagome but for himself. He was afraid of getting hurt and dieing. This unsettled him, these pure human emotions were going against who he thought he was, who he KNEW he was, and swallowed hard against the fear and sweat and charged toward his love. Suddenly he felt weak and frozen in his tracks and he met her stare again. She was using her miko powers to make him stay away, and there he watched as Kouga proceeded to kiss his way down the back of her neck. Kouga lazily moved his lips down her neck and then finally acknowledged Inuyasha's presence. "Ah your husband is here," the wolf demon drawled. "When will you take me as your mate, Kagome? I grow…impatient," he said eyeing Inuyasha like a side of beef. "Kouga you know I can not," was her weak answer. "The man even hesitates without your magic to hold him my pet," Kouga refutes. "He is weak, but with your miko powers and with my status you would be a queen in my lands." He spared a glance at Inuyasha again. "I only let him live you know because I know you would never come with me willingly if I killed him where he stood." Kagome just looked down at the ground eyes cold and almost emotionless at the moment she looked much like Kikiyou. She offered no rebuttal to his taunts and Inuyasha was becoming angry. The fear in him kept his mouth silent as the wolf demon stood holding his wife but the human Inuyasha's blood began to boil with rage, a rage that was unfamiliar to him. There was the jealousy there but the unknown out come and the fear…the fear of death. What she was feeling he couldn't feel and the fact she just took his taunting and sexual advances without a flinch or a tear or a word of negation, set him into a furry. Finally Kouga began to let her go with his last statement. "Kagome, I grow weary of your refusals. Think carefully this time. I leave you to…consider your options carefully." And with that he ran toward the mountainous areas to the north in a whirlwind. Kagome stood in the middle of the gathered crowd as the magic holding Inuyasha fell around him no longer effective. His ungraceful jerky movements toward her gave away his anger. His grip around her wrist was hard and telling to the onlookers. He was half dragging her back to "their" hut holding her so hard that she winced several times. He had no clue he was holding her so tight, he only knew what he saw and how the madness built inside him, the complete furry that next to his demon rage was a pale comparison but his human emotions and ability to deal with them were different and sent him over the edge lacking the ability to feel her heart and soul. It was as if he knew what he was like before but the limitations of the humans were his but now that he was feeling them all and lacked all the safety's of his demon link to his wife and the strength and courage to keep her safe he was slipping fast.

His mind was becoming consumed with the image of Kouga all over his wife and the fact she had held him in place with her magic so he couldn't interfere. And her silence fueled the fire raging within him. The minute they reached there small dwelling he pulled her inside and half flung her into the room in front of him. She half stumbled but caught herself. She stood before him holding her wrist to her chest tenderly holding it looking down her hair hiding her face. Had he been a demon he would have felt Kagome at this point, crushed, heart broken, in pain at her wrist from him, weakened in every sense scared and so broken in side it would take a long time to put her back together. But there was nothing there in the magicless human body and soul.

In that instant when he reached for her in anger to grab her once again, and she jerked back and heard her cry. His heart almost stopped. He heard it in her cry and seen it in her retreat. Her eyes finally found his just barely thru the strewn strands of her hair about her dirty tear stained face. Her eyes were like Kikiyou's cold but with a depth of fear he hadn't know her to possess. And the pain that went far beyond the bruise making it's self visible on her wrist, pain that worked its way straight thru her soul. Or that would have had it been his Kagome….

Deep inside him Kagome watched thru his eyes trapped locked away from him by a magic making him think that was her apart from him forever. It let him think he had hurt her. She had felt everything he had and known he was never meant to have to deal with those feelings as a human having no way to moderate or know how to deal with human emotions. She felt his demon brain try to make sense of the contradicting feelings as the scenario had played out before him. And it ripped at her being not being able to help him, comfort him, and show him the way. But how he was deathly quiet as he watched her doppelganger looking destroyed in front of him. Another whimper from the girl, he hit his knees. Kagome felt the depths of despair hitting the hanyou as he watched her. Unable to let it go on any longer Kagome decided to open herself up to the feelings that her fake twin on the outside would be feeling had she been in her place she replayed the scenario, every word, every touch, every second. And when she thought she could take no more she dug deeper and let it bombard their soul. Deep within the hanyou thought to be human something broke into a million pieces. With the onslaught of pain he thought it was his very soul all of him and if there was anything else in there Kagome also. He hit the floor breath knocked from him at the fake Kagome's feet tears running down his face grasping for his breath. One word ripped from his mouth, "KAGOME!" and the world went dark.

In a warm golden light Kagome's face appeared before his sight as he seemed to be opening his eyes. He lay in her lap and she cradled his head in her arms tenderly. Kagome was cleaning and wearing her school uniform like she always used to, she didn't looked shattered however very upset. He stared into her eyes, they weren't cold or hopeless, they hurt but they were her eyes alive with love and hope. A hand came up off the ground and found the side of her face. He began to cry as he tasted her tears. "Kagome…" he said as a prayer…a question. "Inuyasha…" she answered everything in how she said his name. They suddenly flew into a hard embrace and kept hold of each other. "Kagome I'm so sor…" he didn't finish she interrupted him. "No please don't apologize Inu please? It wasn't your fault you didn't do anything to me I promise it wasn't me it was a spell a trick I couldn't reach you to help you I could only feel you and, you couldn't sense me because of the barrier on you demon blood the test master put there. I had to let myself feel all of that fake Kagome's pain to bombard our soul with it, to stir you're the protectiveness in your demon side and call to your side of the soul to feel me again to break the spell. You didn't do anything..nothing… It was just a test an unfair play on what will never be. It wasn't you I love you Inuyasha. I love you." Her vehement speech calmed his fear slightly and as he held her he rocked with her against his chest. "My brave angel. I do love you my mate." She grew silent in his arms as they rocked and held and kissed once. Then the rocking motion gave way to a harder sensation against his body as the golden warmth slipped away and the world of the living or so to speak emerged before his opening eyes. He looked about and noticed there was nothing around him but a large cavern. The world in which he was a human was gone. As he dragged himself to his hands and knees he felt a presence return. Inuyasha looked up slowly. "You have passed," the demon reported. "Your human side did not drive you to truly harm your mate," it said. "In the human world there are no instincts as most animals have. Poorly evolved animals they are with no safeties for to his mate. Humans are with out the killing rage for most, however they lack the sense others have to not purposely injure mates. The stupid creatures have diluted the instinct to mate and continue the species with stupid jealousy and anger they turn on mates rather than rivals for they lack the means to protect there bitches. Yours is crafty and powerful half-breed. You will now continue." The demon moved forward and in a cloud of fog his form vanished leaving a pair of orange doors in front of the Hanyou. He slowly rose to his feet and sagged against a near by wall and wiped the tears from his eyes. "FUCK! THAT HURT YOU ASSHOLES!" he yelled as he stagared to his feet toward the doors. "Kouga, your fucking kibble," was the last sentence he uttered before the pair of orange doors closed behind him.

Well there it is guys I know its only one challenge but good lord t took forever more to come promise. I know its been FOREVER. But if you love it read and review! Love you all hope you guys didn't give up on me! Later! Lady J


	11. Inuyasha the Valient pt 5 fight me!

HI all LJ here again I know its been a little over a year so I figured I'd finish this thing. Its been a long hard year my baby is three now and my oldest is six can you believe it? I am back in school and working full time and married lots of stuff to keep me busy but since I work for the school district I get two weeks off at Christmas and one week off at Easter. Cool huh? So I decided to finish the last three challenges. SO here they are thanks for not giving up on me guys! Read and Review, LJ

Disclaimer: I own nothing …..LOL been there done that

Inuyasha the Lovingly Valiant and Kouga the Ever Dense

The orange doors lead him into the next challenge room. As he walked through them the cavern in front of him was a perfect circle with a low ceiling. Inuyasha looked around trying to guess what this trail would consist of. What had hell's challenge masters come up with to test his soul merged bond. Just as that thought crossed his mind the doors behind him shut with a familiar slam. The sound didn't have any effect on the tired hanyou. Tired of the trails, tired of the emotional rollercoaster, but mostly tired of having Kagome torn from him.

As he sighed wearily a pleasant warmth wrapped itself around their soul. He had no choice but to smile. Kagome somehow the thought made the cavern not so dark and lonely. Inuyasha seemed deep in thought when the child had appeared before him. "I am here now!!!" an impatient but young voice said that snapped the half demon from his thoughts. He looked to the right and saw a child no older than 6 standing closer then he cared anyone too but catching a glimpse of this imp at his hip almost made him laugh. Inuyasha was smarter than to voice this inner snicker. "Finally!" she answered with the same irritated tone. "Now that I have your attention we can begin." Inuyasha nodded but said nothing as he looked her over. She was short and petite like a nymph might be. She resembled a human child though, except for her white complexion. Her skin held a hue of white that reminded Inuyasha of the first snow that covered the forest in early winter and her hair shone in the dim light like a turquoise pool deep in the forest. She flowed when she walked much like a river then when she stopped her blue dress that matched her hair pooled at her feet. She almost seemed to glow in the low torch light that eliminated the room. When the little girl finally turned to him and looked him in the eye he looked at her eyes that mirrored an angry ocean during a storm, choppy blue green water. Inuyasha was captured for a moment by the trouble eyes of the small ethereal being. "You half-demon Inuyasha, have made it farther than most but now you will face your other half!" The petite creature seemed to take no joy in this task just stated her piece then fluidly moved to the other side of the circular cavern they stood in. As she walked the hanyou took time to get his bearings in the test area. The large void around him was the circumference of a 20 huts put together. As the child stopped directly across from him she caught his gaze again. "Are you ready hanyou?" she nearly snapped at him. Inuyasha nodded.

"But what part of myself could I still have to challenge since I have conquered both halves?" He asked. She laughed mirthlessly at his question.

"Do you love only yourself to have conquered only your two heritages? Or is there another part of you that you love?" Her speech was cryptic and this made the hanyou irritated.

"Can't you just tell me without the ass backwards babble???" He crossed his arms as he shouted this. Her brows knitted together crossly but at this she did grin.

"Oh heedless half-demon, that temper must bring you great misfortune. And great sorrow to your poor mate also. How you made it thus far with such a lack of self control is very interesting. I wonder if your mate ever angered you. What verbal barrage she must endure lest you lose your temper." At this Inuyasha began to become even more irritated.

"You know what you little brat, its none of your God DAMN business!!!" he told her in a roar.

"Oh really as I stand here it seems that it would be impossible for you to have won this challenge to you bond. What makes you think you'll be able to get out of here alive to save you bitch?" She taunted him. She could feel his temper rising in her blood it was the way of this challenge. The small girl had such an innocent look but her mouth was sewer of insults and mockery. She knew this and used it to fuel his tantrum. not long now she thought.

"You little runt! Are you going to just sit here and insult me or do something?? Cuz if youre trying to shake my confidence your barking up the wrong tree mini mouth." She realized he probably wasn't going to try and rush her at this rate. He was pissed but he had integrity she could tell because he would not even think of hurting a child, she guessed. She changed tactics and she didn't want to do what she was about to do but this was hell and she was a test mater.

"You are a coward Inuyasha, you are as the wolf calls you, nothing but dog waste to be buried and trampled on. You sicken me." She began to glow, and Inuyasha began to feel strange stirrings within himself. Kagome's awareness suddenly became active as it seemed to be wrapping itself around her inside the hanyous body.

"NOO!! Not again you can't have her!" he wrapped his arms around himself as well as their soul around her. The child in front of him was using only about half her magic to make it seem like he had a choice in the matter trying to infuriate him in to attacking her. His demon blood began to boil through his human heart. He thought she was going to have a time pulling Kagome from his tenacious grip and saw an opportunity to stop her by charging her. He freed the tetsaiga and ran at the small test master. The minute she felt the shift in the hanyous position she let her power filter into the collective soul and literally wrench Kagome from his body again as the first test master did. In the second it took to remove the miko from their merged soul, the child demon placed Kagome in his path instead of herself and disappeared without a word leaving Kagome dazed with a quiver of arrows on her back, a sword at her hip, and a bow in her hand. Inuyasha saw the shimmering form of Kagome appear in his path as he was mid-stroke of his sword toward the place the test master should have been. Every inch of soul cried out for him to stop as his sword swung sideways toward the miko. Kagome seemed to be too dazed to realize her danger as she seemed to sag against the weight of her new temporary body wearily. All of the anger and nearly all of his life drained from him as used both of his hands to stop the tetsaiga from finishing its path of destruction. He put so much force in his effort to stop the momentum of his weapon that he sent it off to the right with a backward spin on the blade. It flew spinning into the stone wall, protruding as it turned into its dormant state as a small samurai sword. Kagome heard the resounding thud of the sword as it stuck in the wall and it seemed to bring her senses to a focus, and the mikos eyes flew up to hanyous golden ones. When their eyes connected he felt their link spark with an unfamiliar emotion. It was powerful, driving, and painful. And it was coming from Kagome. He had felt when she was ripped from their soul, and had nearly run his sword thru her and with the agonizing feelings slamming into him, he hit his knees hard. His gaze returned hers. Her eyes were blank and shrouded, he'd never seen her look like that at him not even when Menomaru controlled her with his magic spell at least she cried and you could tell nothing but evil was looking thru her eyes. But what looked back at him now was at best an angry bitter woman. The rage that hit him was strange coming from his soul bonded mate, not just the anger but the seething hate. It seemed to have no end…

"Inuyasha…," she spat. "My eyes are finally open to your true nature. I can't believe I love such a pathetic half-breed. How you could take my body and taint it with your demon blood is unforgivable. You thoughtless selfish bastard…" she didn't finish her thought she merely loaded an arrow into her bow and stretched the string taut. She moved the point directly to his heart the tip an inch away from his skin. Inuyasha had taken the verbal abuse and sat crouched on his knees crushed. His half of the soul was being blackened by the vial hatred that spilled in thru the link. He didn't want to breathe any more he felt every word that came from her mouth as if it has been an arrow to his heart. This sacred arrow would be the end to his already bleeding heart he almost welcomed the release. He closed his eyes as he heard her stretch the string tight. She held it there for a moment. He wondered vaguely why she hesitated he suddenly got a glimpse of Kikiyo firing the shot that pinned him the first time. The words she had said sounded so much like…. his eyes snapped open as his thoughts brought a disturbing conclusion to this encounter. He ducked to the right quicker then Kagome could follow and she loosed her arrow to the now empty stone floor in front of her. Her brows furrowed. She turned to find where the hanyou had dodged to as she reloaded her bow. He was crouched several yards from her to the right. Inuyasha could tell she was becoming angrier. He watched her take careful aim at him again. "You dodged MY arrow?" she called to him as her eyes narrowed. "How DARE you!" She fired on him again and it was easy to evade the arrow but the spiritual powers she put into it nearly knocked him off his feet when it hit where he was standing and the shock wave emanated from the impact site. As he gained his footing a thought came back to him. If I do so does Kagome. I almost lost her he remembered feeling irate with himself. He was absolutely discussed with the fact that he had almost sat there and let her kill him. She fired another arrow which he easily dodged again but put more distance between him and where he had been so that he could keep on his feet better. She fired her fourth, and she was mad. She couldn't hit him and it enraged her that he did nothing but avoid her attacks. "Damn it INUYASHA!!! Quit dodging me and fight!!" her anger made her shooting sloppy and made it easier for the hanyou to jump out of the way of the arrows. After she had emptied her quiver of the last arrow she threw the bow aside seething, Inuyasha took the chance to talk to her.

"Kagome come on love, this isn't you!!" a fresh wave of revulsion hit him thru his there connection. It made him queasy almost dizzy with pain. "Kagome…." He called to her, for her. Thru the pain he gritted his teeth and fortified himself with the thought that this couldn't be his Kagome. Thru the pain he found a reserve of golden love deep inside their soul and offered it to her thru the rapids of hateful emotions that cascaded from her. She felt the love coming thru the mated link suddenly and she shuttered as if she were cold. Inuyasha watched her confused. The emotions she felt abruptly made her nearly mad with furry. She drew her sword and ran at him swinging widely. In his confusion with his mate he didn't move quite fast enough to escape the mikos flailing and received a deep cut to the bone on his upper arm. He was knocked back in surprise as he brought up his other hand to hold onto the hurt appendage. Kagome cried out into the cavern and it was nearly deafening hearing her scream inside their soul and thru the cave. Inuyasha rolled to the left gaining his feet before he even hit the ground completely. But Kagome hit the rock floor hard holding her right upper arm. Blood was seeping between her fingers. Inuyasha forgot his injuries immediately and ran to her. But when she felt him near she screamed again sending his ears ringing because they were so sensitive. He backed away holding his ears, but kept a watchful eye on her. She pulled herself to her knees shakily then pushed up to her feet trembling.

"You did this to me you monster! How could you!" She looked crushed now more than irate. He felt the blow thru the connection as the feelings of desperation flowed. He couldn't get near her, he couldn't die, he couldn't talk her out of this, and he couldn't get injured. He was quickly running out of ideas. She looked up at him holding his gaze and reached out to him with her arms but suddenly pulled back and broke the eye contact looking for her sword. He knew the sword had clanked to the floor when she fell and was out of her immediate reach. He took the chance and lunged at her full strength. He caught both of her shoulders in his hands and ended up on top of her his knees straddling her hips. She went wild. She kicked and screamed and pounded on his chest with his hands but he was unmovable. Down the link poured rage, confusion, and a consuming fear. He saw that in her craze that her thrashing was beginning to form bruises and scratches on her extremities and so he deftly caught a hold of her wrists and wrapped his bare feet around her ankles to still her movements. She went deathly still and in their soul there was nothing, she was numb to her central being if she hadn't been breathing he would had thought she was dead. And as he looked at her all but soul dead he watched her empty eyes, emptier than even a dead body and the brown of her eyes dulled to a dirt brown and the flecks of gold began to fade. He felt her slipping as if there was nothing left to live for and with her numb soul so would her life. And then he realized how he was holding her on the ground like so long ago in the alley he knew that had been his only option at the time but he looked at her blank stare and did something he hadn't done in a long time. He cried. He moved off her body as it lay limp on the ground. He sat next to her bruises showed on her arms and legs and her blood spilled out on the cave floor on her right arm. She showed no bruising where he had held her because his hold had been so gentle. Sobs began to rack his body as he tore some of his inner shirt and tied it off across the bleeding slash. Slowly his arm pulled her from the ground to against his chest. He attempted to pure to see if he could get a reaction from her but a sudden wail caught in his throat and there was nothing else he could do but hold her and rock the miko. Down into the depths of Kagomes half of the soul she felt as if ice had wrapped her inside a cocoon of numb limbo. She cared not to live or die nothing mattered,…nothing. But within the confines of the ice coffin that kept all the pain and fear away a sudden drop of warm hot salty water found its way onto her face. This was a new sensation and she looked around trying to find the source. It seemed there was a small crack inside her numbing envelope. Another drop fell upon her cheek. And the crack widened. She reached up toward where the droplets came from and felt a warm river and something behind that, a warm softness. Her vision didn't seem to want to aid her in her discoveries yet so she felt with her hand and the feeling began to come back to her slowly as if she was being thawed. The warmth of the water started to swaddle her like a mothers blanket over an infant. She felt at first so much sadness brought on by a despair she could hardly fathom. In the mix of sadness she felt as if it was her own. And beneath the despair she felt a deeper more all encompassing emotion that pulled her through the warm water into a safe golden hue that made her feel protected. The feeling that flooded her soul was love. Her half of a soul she realized. One word came slamming back to her like she had hit brick wall. INUYASHA She realized what had happened and all the memories of what happened filtered thru her mind and it hurt. She knew the person who had pulled her from their soul had done something to her, had tapped into something that wasn't hers and blocked out all the positive feelings she felt about her lover. It hurt. And she began to cry.

On the outside, Inuyasha cradled the body of Kagome as she began to slip away. He whispered to her in between sobs stroking her hair and letting his tears fall on her face and neck unchecked. He was grieving for his soul bond already and she hadn't even gone. He knew he would not live if she stopped breathing, and if she went he would gladly follow. But while he held her so close he could feel the numbness inside her and felt her heart beating, the beat of her slowing heart had picked up. His sensitive ears caught the jump in pace. He continued to hold her close crying but was soon pulling at her with their link as hard as he could, he suddenly had hope. Again her heart slowed temporarily but only for a few seconds and was picked up again and stayed in a more normal rhythm. After a few minutes it felt as tho Kagome had burst from the numbness into a river of his feelings. I felt her for the first time in several minutes found only confusion and empathy at what she was feeling from him. It began to warm him inside like it had her and he continued to let the tears flow but buried her in a deep warm golden glow of his love hoping to help her find herself. The process took longer than the hanyou would have liked but once he was bombarded with feelings of guilt and hurt he knew she was back. Tho her eyes were still glassy tears spilled from them and he hid his face in her hair and neck as he continued to wet her close with his tears. And then she blinked. Inuyasha felt it more then saw it. He jerked his eyes to hers and saw in them the most beautiful thing in his whole life, his mate. He saw her depth, her love, her soul. He felt her love, joy, pain, sorrow and confusion. Her hand reached his face and she moved her fingers over his cheek thru the tears and gave him a tired smile. "Kagome" he choked out and smiled back at her. "My soul," He hugged her to him tightly. She continued to lay limply in his arms weary but glad to see him.

"Inu..?" she questioned.

"Its alright now love, its done. It wasn't your fault. It was some kind of spell. By the gods I love you Kagome!" She smiled at him again. She didn't have to say a word he felt everything she did and that was enough for the both for them. But Inuyasha did go on to explain his theory on what happened to comfort her. "Love I think she tapped into Kikiyo and turned off our love in your half of our soul," he told her as he stroked her cheek. "It was not your fault my mate." As he finished his words a bright glow lit up the cave as the child demon appeared in the center of the cavern. She approached them in the same fluid movements as before and came to rest a foot from the pair. She kneeled.

"Indeed, it was not the childs fault, I did tap into her previous life to being out her hatred because it seems she had none to draw on. Normally I have some small seed of doubt or pain I can exploit for this test. I had to read her past lives to find the anger to drive her to fight you. I have never had to look that far back. But you are clever hanyou; I thought for sure you were going to die in the beginning at the tip of her first arrow. Your pain was so intense that your selfish tendencies were leading your actions and clouding your judgment. The only interesting twist to this challenge was the near death you two experienced. That was a new aspect I must say. That I'm afraid was not part of the contest parameters. Her experience in the alley along with the current desperate she was in was a bit much for her. If she had died you would have failed. But I have never seen a mated par pull back from near death; your bond is stronger than any I have ever seen come thru here half demon. You pass with my blessing." After her explanation she smiled genuinely and Inuyasha was so tired he couldn't even get angry. "With the complications of this test I am obliged to offer you a gift," in her hands two cups appeared. "Drink these both of you and rest for a time, you may stay in my cavern for a while," the petite demon said. Kagome thought a moment.

"Is that against the rules? Are we allowed? Or is this another test?" she held her glass in one hand looking at it. She laughed then with a small childs giggle.

"You are very careful my dears, very good. But do not worry my cavern and test are at my discretion and I am the daughter of the dragon of the doorway therefore I have liberties I at times exercise." Inuyasha nodded. The test master suddenly looked down a bit. "Please don't hate me for what I had to do ok?" Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other. She sounded so much like a child all the sudden.

"We don't" Inuyasha piped up finally. "But it was nothing I ever want to have to go thru again." he groused darkly wiping the tears from his face. He then pulled Kagome closer and kissed her hair which she snuggled into him after.

"Do you ever leave this cavern?" Kagome asked suddenly.

"Me?" she asked surprised. Kagome nodded tiredly. "Umm… no" she said sadly. "I don't because I have no reason to leave." This bothered Kagome she gave Inuyasha a quick look and he knew he wasn't going to be able to stop her so he sighed an she felt his acquiescence in their link.

"You could come visit…" she said quietly. The child seemed to brighten.

"Really? YOU MEAN IT!?!?" she almost jumped up and down. Kagome nodded again. "Wow I thought everyone who met me would hate me forever cuz of what I have to do down here…." She said in awe. "Thank you…" she whispered. "I have to go now but remember to drink up, it will help I promise." And with that parting advice she disappeared in a bright flash and was gone. Inuyasha looked at Kagome and just shook his head. She giggled. He slowly drained the cool water that was in the glass and set it down and then turned to help Kagome with hers. He held the glass for her and when she had finished hers they tingled slightly where they had been hurt in the previous challenge and even the sorrow in their soul lessened drastically as it seemed the memories faded some with their injuries and they fell into a contented silence. He picked up Kagome and moved to the rock wall to lean against it. He heard a voice from far away it seemed as he held Kagome and fell into a light sleep with her in his arms. "When you leave this spot to walk into the next challenge your soul will be reunited in your body and you will have her inside again…" it whispered. He nodded to show the child demon that he had heard but kept on dozing stroking her hair as he laid their feeling better holding his soul in his arms. He didn't know if he ever really wanted to move from this spot, but he knew he would have to. But just for the moment he soaked in the peace and held her purring slightly leaving her in a deep golden place they rested in their bond. They were content if only for a moment.

That's all for now guys sorry to cut it off but this took me hours as it is ok? I will try to finish it this weekend no promises. R+R peoples! Paws I hope your still out there LOL Laters, LJ


	12. Inuyasha the valient part 6 loves desire

Inuyasha the val.

Inuyasha woke sometime later with Kagome in his arms and together there collective soul pulled them to consciousness at the same time. They felt much better and their wounds had been healed during their rest. "'Are you alright my soul?" Inuyasha asked still slightly concerned.

"Yes my love, but I grow weary and want to end this." He nodded.

"Then let us end this," and as he stood up his mate once again disappeared in a show of glittering magic and he felt the shift in him. He looked at the next door wearily. It had been 5 challenges worth of their name, "hell". He finally decided he'd never guess what torture they had in mind on the other side of the yellow doors. So he picked up one foot and continued on letting the doors slammed behind him.

He made his way into the cavern cautiously trying to gather any clue as to what the next test was about. But as he walked he suddenly felt tired which was strange considering he just felt rejuvenated a moment ago. The small thin cavern narrowed into a hallway and by the time he was half way to the door in the front of him he pitched forward. The narrowing cavern had slowly become hazier. His last coherent thought was that it must be some kind of sleeping powder. Then all went dark.

He awoke suddenly, and it felt like only seconds had passed but he had no way telling how long he'd been asleep. He had sprung up from a pallet that was very familiar with a warm naked form of his wife next to him. He blinked looking around had it all really been a bad dream? Or was this a test? The only thing he knew for sure was that his wife's half of the soul no longer resided inside him.

Kagome rolled over to look at her erect husband "What's the matter inu-chan?" she asked in a sot sleep voice. Inuyasha thought long and hard before answering. Kagome could feel the confusion and frustration filtering down their mated link and sat up next to him. Inu put a clawed hand to his head and closed his eyes.

"Mate I don't know if this is a challenge or if it was all a dream, " he slightly growled.

"A challenge?" she asked confused.

"ya the hell's challenges?!" he snapped at her but regretted it immediately when the hurt seared through their connection and took his breath away. He turned and took Kagome in to his lap. Everything felt so real. Kagome felt so real and warm. He wanted the challenges to be all a bad dream but he had to keep up his guard.

They finally got out of bed and Inuyasha explained what a hell's challenge was to her and everyone at breakfast and proceeded to fill them in on his 'dream'. Kagome hugged him several times through his retelling. The first 5 tests had been so painful that he nearly, but didn't, cry. He held his mate close, "It's over now inu-chan," she crooned. And he wanted to believe her so badly that he almost let himself sink into he arms and let her lull him into the false sense of security. But he was smarter than that. So he agreed with her and broke the embrace and let the day continue.

After breakfast the day went on as any other living in the village. They even got some work done on their houses that managed to survive the attack from Naraku. Once the roofs sere finished in a month or so they would be move in ready. He was Knee deep in securing a large beam when he heard the loud shout of his wife from behind the building. He dropped it suddenly and ran to her aid. It was a loud shout of anger that she'd missed a small demon with her arrow. Inuyasha passed her and took it down with a swipe of his hand. He then turned back to the still irritated Miko. "Are you ok? Did it hurt you?"

"No," she answered his gentle inquiry grumpily. "Missed him with my arrow!" Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her.

"You have come along way and it was a small quick snake demon." She just nodded her assent to the situation and decided to let it go. They both strolled back to the partially finish homes and looked around to see what they could get done before nightfall.

The night began to fall and nothing out of the ordinary had happened still however the sense of unease didn't leave the hanyou. They settled down in Keade's hut the little strange family, and went to sleep or at least tried. Inuyasha laid there awake for a long time before he decided to doze lightly. But day came and yet again they ate, built their house, talked of old battles, and funny stories. Nothing stood out proclaiming doom as he'd suspected. The lack of testing situations didn't ease his feelings of dread though.

It was on the third day that would have made any other except the stubborn hanyou complacent, that something happened and it happened big. There were thousands of demons that were attacking the village all active now that Naraku had been slain, took the chance to claim what shards the Miko had. The last they had heard the jewel was in thousands of pieces and working together they figured they'd all get a shard. The horde of demons attacked from the air and the land coming from the west. The attack looked like a simple frontal assault that took all of the inu-tachi to combat and protect the village.

The evil aura that preceded the siege let the group prepare and meet the oncoming threat all together they ran to the edge of the town in time to keep the huts on the fringe in tact and yelling a warning as they went. Songo was the first to release her weapon calling its name as it flew through the air slicing as it went into the flesh and bone of a score of demons. The monk threw 10 sutras toward the monsters dissolving all 10. Shippo was at Inuyasha's side using his fox fire to keep the small crawly demons at bay. The horde shouted for the jewel shards and the roar was deafening. "Give us the jewel shards!"

"Over my dead body!" Inuyasha had howled back.

"Then we will break you too!" and the onslaught doubled. The sheer amount of youkia was almost impossible to keep back. Kagome was firing arrows back to back with Inuyasha who was using his wind scare to kill the one's attacking his side. Similarly Songo and Miroku were back to back close enough for them to see. Kilala was picking off the demons making it through their defenses or coming at them from above. The horde was never-ending and the inu-tachi was becoming fatigued. They were receiving minor wounds here and there even Kagome had gotten bitten once to Inu's displeasure but even he was tiring. They were having to fall back toward the village where more people were. The horde began to get through their defenses and smash into the first houses of the battle. It was then Kagome know it was going to be a devastating battle. Kagome took one look about to quickly to assess the possible casualties. That's when she saw one villager get snatched up by a demon and taken screaming into the air. She disappeared a moment only and then all that dropped to the ground was a bloody half eaten torso of the girl. Kagome screamed. She didn't want the village to be decimated by the fight for the jewel and she instinctively knew that the demons and the subsequent battle would follow her. So she then made her decision, and Inuyasha who had turned to her when she screamed and was making his way to her, "NO!" Don't you dare!" he rumbled to her she threw him an apologetic look and sent love and sorrow down the link and sprinted the way the demons had come Inuyasha calling after her.

"How could she be so damn stupid!?" he yelled mostly to himself. Kagome kept running into the oncoming mass of monsters taking out a score with each arrow. She was so tired of the death, the pain and the misery the jewel caused and it fell to her as its protector.

Inuyasha was quickly gaining ground on her with his demon speed when he saw as shift in the attack. H knew they were following the draw of the jewels power. But that meant they were doubling there efforts centering on Kagome. She knew what she had done was stupid but the need to protect ran deep. She thought through on how of she didn't make it Inuyasha wouldn't either and then she stopped. She stopped far enough away from the village to escape anymore casualties, but by no means safe for the n she suddenly felt the ramifications of her decision come down on her and that was when the demon no better than the others that had gathered plunged his poison tipped stinger into the distracted Miko's side. She felt it pierce her but not before the agony that shot through Inuyasha. He was flying as fast as he could to stop it.

Inuyasha's slashed the scorpion looking demon into bloody bits as Kagome's magic seared it's appendage off. The poison that was in the wound was purified by her magic but the wound was profound. It had not entered any vital organs but the damage left a gaping whole in her side from the back from her back. Inuyasha caught her as she covered her wound and cried out. She fell into her arms. Seeing the danger she erected a spirit shield that was small and savored but held strong. The outside house fell away as he pulled her to his body. He wrapped his arms around her tightly to stave of the bleeding. H knew if he could just pull her close and be one with her and sleep he could devote his healing powers to her and save her life. "Kagome, what have you done?" she smiled a little at his soft voice full of despair but overflowing with so much love. Her eyes had been closed till she looked up and spoke.

"Inu, I'm sorry but the village and the innocents…" he held her close at her words.

"I know love we protect the people" he paused a moment ,"but not at the loss of you my mate. We need to heal you and heal in sleep do you think you can…" Inuyasha stopped when a finger touched his lips.

"I could probably hold the shield while I healed but what of our family and town? They cannot wait that long," her voice was soft and pleading.

"But if I leave you… you will probably…, both of us will.." he couldn't say it.

"Inuyasha things are the way things are and I know we will both perish. I wish there was a way to let you live. But I want you to bake the jewel and save the village!" He started to shake his head. "Please, Inu-chan, I can no longer protect them but I will hold on while you still can." She pushed the almost finished jewel into his hand. He looked at her tears in her eyes and he hugged her tightly and tore a piece of his inner soft kimono and wrapped it around her lower body stemming the blood flow in his absence. He tenderly laid her still conscious but hurting body on the forest floor. He could feel himself going full demon at this threat to his mate. He used the anger to take those first steps to the edge of her sheild.

In a gruff husky but tender growl he looked behind him at her one more time saying, "My mate you better survive this!" It was a pleas as well as a command.

A soft "I'll do my best," was his answered and he turned running toward the horde that were almost consuming his family in their effort to get to Kagome. Sango Miroku Kilala and Shippo sensed Inuyasha's switch to and stepped out of his way when he turned his red and blue eyes on them. They didn't know what happened but the possibility scared them.

"Are you guys ok?" Inuyasha asked in his gruff but soft voice. Amazed they all nodded. "Good now get outta my way so I can finish this," He showed them the jewel in his hand and he began walking away from the village into the woods and the many of thousands of demon's followed him. He could feel the pain in his mate as he trudged through the brush. The demons that attacked him were slain with a swipe. The borage of demons didn't stop attacking all the way toward the clearing to which he traveled. It was an abandoned area and he could dispose of the horde there. He stopped suddenly and the demons did to sensing the raw power coming from the full fledged demon. He pulled the tetsuiga free and raised it over his head. The tears on his face were obvious as he looked u at the swarm all while perceiving Kagome's heart beating a little slower every minute he was away. With a strangled yell he unleashed the tetsuiga's most powerful weapons the blade of meudo. The roar of the throng of demons was deafening as they all met their end by the sword tetsuiga.

Then all was quiet including Inuyasha. He turned and ran back to his mate who seemed to be slipping away from him. He knew he would not be long for this world if her heart stopped beating taking his soul with her.

He made his way to her side as her sprit sheild blinked out of existence and her strength was weaning. As he sat on his knees next to her he saw his make shift bandage had not stopped the bleeding but stunted it a little which now just might buy them a goodbye. His tears still visible he pulled the pale Miko to his body now again half demon. "Kagome why would you ask me to rescue them just to lose you? Us?"

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry I had to protect them. But at least you won't have to die with me mate. I found a way to safe you." Kagome's voice was becoming faint. "I can spare you and you can live. Live for me and you…"

"Kagome…" he squeezed her softly. "I can't live without you don't … Don't ask me to…"

"The world and our family needs you Inu. Don't follow me till it's your time and you have so much more time," her voice was a whisper. "Please?" Her eyes teared and they slipped down her face and fell onto his kimono. Everyone he counted and held dear except her but if he went he knew they would be no more.

"Anything just don't cry," he said softly and with his acquiescence they glowed faintly and he could tell she was letting go. He felt the hands tighten then blood and spirit slipped out of his soul, his body, his life. And in their wake they left a nothingness- a numbness, which he could fall into if he let himself right now. But he wouldn't. He would stick by his word if for nothing more than to say once they met again, "I never lied to you!"

So Kagome's heart beat stuttered and stopped as she let out her final breath. But Inuyasha held to her fast not letting go her didn't know if he'd sit there till there was nothing let but bones but the numbness spread and let just him and her body in the middle of the clearing. And he cried. He didn't know or take notice he did but the tears never met the body of his mate and time meant nothing.

A beautiful woman walked up to the hanyou in the clearing. She had long hair, purple like amathist. Coming from her back were two multi colored wings shaped like a butterfly's. Her matching purple eyes looked into the dull yellow of Inuyasha's as she kneelt to his level. She reached for Kagome but he suddenly reacted and growled, "Don't touch her!"

"Oh hanyou so m uch pain for one being yet you did'nt follow her?"

"Inuyasha sighed and his eyes met dull ones again. "She asked me not to."

"And all for a mortal priestess." She shook her head in confusion but not condescendingly.

"Anything and more," he said still numb.

"Even leaving her to protect others when saving her was within your grasp?"

He cringed he knew he had left her dieing and injured there even at her pleading. It felt wrong. "The only thing that I could move me is her. She asked me to," was the simple answer again. The woman waved a hand seemingly dismissing both Kagome's body and the hanyou but suddenly the Miko took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

"INU!" She wrapped her arms around him and he squeezed her noticing that the smell of blood was now old. She'd been healed also. The warmth like the first thaw after a long hard winter opened up in his soul as the numbness was warmed to overflowing. He felt that she had not really been gone but her part of the life and soul had been numbed slowly like it was being removed. A clever way to make the hanyou think the current situation was real but it wasn't.

"That was the test?" he asked angry almost growling.

"Yes, challenged it was."

"What the hell kinda test was that?!" Kagome snapped.

The woman who looked like a butterfly demon was unfazed by her show of temper. "We test how true to your mate you are with this test. With ever pair it's different. Would your mate truly want you to go save the others or say and heal them so they can continue on. The only right answer is the one your mate truly desires. And you passed." With that explanation they calmed a bit but they were tired. She noticed their exhausted state mostly emotional. "Take heart hanyou and priestess you have made it this far you will likely finish this and be the first in centuries." She looked at them with compassion and smiled, "you two are the first I have seen in so long. Many fail long before me." Inuyasha looked up to her still holding Kagome.

"If that is all…" he grumped. The hanyou was flat out pissed.

"Yes, I will not be returning Kagome to your body because she will be part from you again for the next one." The butterfly demons told them as they stood. And with that she disappeared and they were both standing hand in hand 10 feet from the next doors.

"Well fuck!" he told Kagome squeezing her hand.

"S'okay Inu. It's over at least this one is. One more mate and we can get the hell outta here." He nodded so hand in hand they walked into the next doors as they shut behind them with a loud bang.


End file.
